Ghosts
by jade
Summary: Ghosts are the things that haunt us throughout our lives. Harry Potter's ghosts are many and when faced with all of them, will he choose to live, or will he choose to become a ghost himself?
1. Chapter 1

Well, here's another story by me. Er…it should be interesting. This came about from another round of, "If it hasn't been written then write it your own goddamn self." I'm sure this isn't an original premise, but I promise it'll be an original er…something.

Note: Although this takes place in the canon universe, when I thought up this story, the sixth book had not graced us with its presence. If you're reading this now and the sixth book has come out, just remember this fact. Whatever happens in the sixth book will have no bearing on this story as when I'm writing this note, the sixth book hasn't even come out yet.

Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter.

Warnings: Swearing…

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Ghosts

Chapter One

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At exactly midnight, when Harry would be officially seventeen years of age, he was fast asleep.

In fact, he was having a strange dream involving the Transfiguration classroom, Hermione trying to explain why transfiguring Florida into Japan was a bad idea, and Ron with pom-poms. Maybe it was a bit disturbing. The point isn't really the dream though, it's the fact that he was asleep and it was exactly midnight when it happened.

Knocking. Someone was knocking on the front door of number four Privet Drive. Harry only rolled over in his sleep, not actually hearing the knocking as it was too quiet to quite reach the second floor. Had he been awake he would have supposed anybody knocking at that time of night were there for him. After all, the Dursleys wouldn't know anybody who came knocking at midnight.

The knocking stopped. The doorbell rang. It was one of those very annoying ringers that made a nasal ringing noise that irritated Harry. One green eye opened and then closed again. He thought the doorbell was probably just from his dream and that he hadn't actually heard it.

But it went off again. This time, the person did not simply ring it once, oh no, they sat there pressing on it impatiently, waiting for someone to come and answer the door. Harry sat up and yawned. He heard Uncle Vernon swearing all the way down the hall and while he stomped down the stairs. Something about how he bloody well didn't know anybody who would come at this bloody time of night. The thing was that for one of the few times in Vernon Dursley's whole life, he was actually right.

Harry decided to just go back to bed. The person probably had a broken down car or something and needed to use a telephone. Nice, normal explanation even though he wasn't used to nice normal explanations. He supposed it might come from yet another year of avoiding evil schemes set by Lord Voldemort, but he sometimes just wanted something to have an ordinary answer—not be part of an elaborate plan that was set into motion months ago. Maybe it was Crookshanks at the door, coming to reveal that he was actually a Death Eater. He laid his head back down on the cool, soft pillow and pulled the warm blanket up to his chin. Back to sleep it was.

"BOY!" The yell made him groan. Of course it had to do something with him. He couldn't just go back to strange dreams or perhaps one of those nice dreamless sleeps where you wake up feeling refreshed. Nope. He swore if it really was Crookshanks the Death Eater, Hermione would pay for letting him out at night.

For a moment though, it wasn't a joke. The Death Eaters and Voldemort suddenly appearing at the front door of number four Privet Drive. Technically they couldn't and the idea that they would suddenly just up and have a normal battle just to get things over with didn't sound anything like them. He half hoped it was Voldemort so that he could entertain himself as he sleepily descended the stairs with a mental image of the house being destroyed and the Dursleys looking devastated. It was the small things in life that really brought happiness.

The nosiest person in the house was, hands down, Aunt Petunia. The woman was constantly spying on the neighbors, always ready to spew the latest bit of gossip. That's just the way she was. Now, if at midnight at _her _house, a person started ringing the doorbell and Vernon answered it and then yelled for Harry, Aunt Petunia just _had _to know why. She even beat Harry down the stairs, rushing past him as though she had to find the perfect front row seat for whatever drama was about to be staged.

Harry rubbed his eyes as he approached his aunt and uncle who were standing right next to the open front door. Someone was standing in the front door but he didn't have his glasses on. He slipped them on so that he could focus on who it was. Wrong size to be Crookshanks. Damn.

When he saw who it was, his jaw dropped open. Very little could surprise Harry Potter anymore. He had seen a lot of things in his time. He was even to the point where he perfectly understood Mad-Eye Moody's deep set paranoia—schemes to kill him really _were_ everywhere. But he hated to be melodramatic about it; after all, he had a sense of responsibility about him. Otherwise he might have ended up like Cho Chang—tears streaming down his face at the slightest prompting.

_Thank god I got over that crush in the fifth year…_

But this person couldn't possibly be there. The mere image of this person being framed in the front doorway of number four Privet Drive was so abstract that Harry was sure it had to be some sort of illusion spell or a joke. Where were Ron and Hermione to jump out and yell "April Fools'!" when you needed them?

"Hello Potter." The cold drawling voice greeted him. No illusion, Draco Malfoy was really standing there. Harry just stood there dumbstruck, his only defense to such a situation.

"You better have a good explanation for this." Vernon Dursley's face was getting redder and redder by the minute in anger. Harry continued to just stand there, though his jaw twitched enough to show that he was still sentient.

"Tell these Muggles to let me in." Draco's ice blue eyes narrowed humorlessly.

"Are you telling me this is another of…of…_your kind_!" Vernon couldn't even bring himself to say 'wizard'. Petunia's eyes were round, not with surprise, but with curiosity. She was keeping her mouth shut and waiting for the whole thing to be explained. Then she'd start up.

Harry's jaw snapped shut. Finally.

"What are _you _doing here?" Harry asked incredulously. Draco rolled his eyes at him and stepped inside the house. Vernon stepped in front of him, looking ready to squash Draco like an insect if he made any further moves into the house.

"I was sent here." Draco held out one of his hands, offering a white envelope towards Harry, even with Vernon Dursley in front of him. "Tell this Muggle to step away from me as I have absolutely no qualms about hexing him." Vernon Dursley didn't like threats and usually liked to prove that they had no effect on him, but the way those cold eyes had looked at him and the fact that magic scared him to death made him back away.

Harry went forward and took the envelope, tearing the letter open.

"What does it say?" Petunia, feeling cheated at not being able to read it over Harry's shoulder, asked. Then she turned to her husband. "Shut the door Vernon, what if one of the neighbors is watching…?" He closed the door and Draco Malfoy moved further into number four Privet Drive.

"It's from Dumbledore." Harry blinked. The words he was reading were indeed in English and in the correct grammatical order but they didn't make any sense. His mind could not comprehend what they were saying right then. "It…well…I think it says…that Malfoy's supposed to stay here."

"Congratulations Potter, you can read." Draco looked at his surroundings with a very disdainful air. Draco didn't even know they _made _houses this small. "Dumbledore practically pinned it to my chest he was so worried about getting it to you."

"This doesn't make any sense." Harry was fully alert now. Who wouldn't be fully alert when their arch-rival, who had once sworn revenge for his father, suddenly showed up at his doorstep with a note saying that he was to stay there with Harry. "What are you doing here?"

"I must say that your hospitality is somewhat lacking." Draco took off his heavy black coat and held it out with one hand, an expectant look on his face. So expectant in fact, that although she couldn't quite explain why she had done it, Petunia reached out and took his coat from him. "And this place is a dump."

"No one's forcing you to stay." Harry retorted, shoving the letter back at Draco.

"Actually, they are." Draco tossed the letter to the side. "Let me fill you in a bit Potter. Because of the Ministry's brilliant way of not getting it the first time, the Death Eaters you rounded up at the end of fifth year have escaped from Azkaban."

"Well then go home and have a reunion with your dad." Harry crossed his arms. "Shouldn't you be over the moon about it?"

"Oh, I would have been." Draco agreed. "But there was that little trouble earlier tonight when I was told to become a Death Eater or die." His eyes were boring into Harry. Draco Malfoy was now a Death Eater? Was that such a strange notion to grasp? But in a way, it was. The idea that the harmless pranks (well, not completely harmless) and constant hecklings could turn into murder so fast was very surreal.

"Why couldn't you be Crookshanks?" Harry muttered into his hands. He didn't have his wand with him. It was upstairs. If Draco was going to kill—wait. Dumbledore sent that letter. Draco was to stay there. Why would Dumbledore do that if…

_Oh._

"Option two didn't really work for me and so now I'm here." Draco gestured at his surroundings. "At your house—if you can call it that." Harry almost snickered at the resemblance between Draco and Lucius Malfoy.

"Wait, why didn't you…" Harry trailed off.

"I suppose it's because I wasn't a true Malfoy after all." Draco answered loftily and Harry knew that he wasn't going to say anything more than that. Dumbledore's letter hadn't been anymore clear on said subject. Draco was supposed to stay here. At his house. Something was just wrong with the universe. "They had to send me somewhere safe…which unfortunately, is with you."

"Great." Harry said in a voice that made everyone around know that he was feeling just the opposite way.

"What the hell is going on here! Does this Dumbledore think he can just send people like you to our house?" Vernon jumped back into the conversation.

"Apparently." Harry wondered what drug Dumbledore must have been on when he made this decision. Better not to know. "This is Draco Malfoy, he's the son of a Death Eater, his dad just escaped from prison, and he's being hunted by the forces of darkness."

"Hello." Draco nodded his head.

"He bloody well can't stay here!" Vernon clenched his fists. "We have enough trouble with just _you_."

"I'd leave but I shudder to think what alternatives Dumbledore might come up with." Draco looked apprehensive. "Maybe fob me off on the Weasleys—not that they'd notice, they have so many already. Or worse, with Mudblood Granger."

"Shut your mouth." Harry told him sternly. "Just because you have to stay here doesn't mean you can bad mouth my friends."

"Oh, I feel as though I'm owed some bad mouthing. This house is horribly small and reeks of Muggles. Also, Potter," Draco stopped to think for a moment, "Since you're the figurehead of the entire 'good' side, I feel this is all _your_ fault. And you stink." Looking thoroughly satisfied, the blonde-haired boy went about straightening his black robes.

"Just—" Vernon Dursley began but Draco pulled out a wand, holding it towards the much larger man in a very threatening manner. "But you'll be expelled!"

"Funny thing about times of crisis, laws like that are repealed." Draco had a slow, satisfied, cruel smile creeping across his lips.

"Knock it off!" Harry grabbed the wand out of Draco's hand, the blonde boy's eyes narrowed. "Fine, you can stay, just stop being such an asshole." Draco looked at him for a moment in a considering manner.

"Alright. Just show me to my rooms and have all my meals sent up to me." Draco waved a hand lazily.

"Boy—" Vernon began again, turning towards Harry who was much easier to threaten.

"Look, I don't like this anymore than you do but Dumbledore says he's supposed to stay here and that's that." Harry felt very tired all of a sudden. "He won't use magic and he won't attract any attention, will you?" Harry glared at Draco with all the fury of a teenager who's been woken up in the middle of the night because his school rival needed a place to crash where his daddy wouldn't come and kill him. It was a lot of fury.

"Sure." Draco didn't like giving in and certainly did not like losing. This was a terrible combination of both.

"I still don't like it." Vernon glared.

"Neither do I." Petunia put in bossily. "Where is he supposed to sleep?" Harry opened his mouth to suggest his old room—the cupboard under the stairs—but decided that was a bit cruel. But then it was Malfoy…decisions…

"The guest bedroom." Harry decided.

_Damn conscience._

"What if we have company?" Vernon asked, his eyes narrowing. "No, he isn't taking up that bedroom, he'll just stay in your room."

"_What_?" Harry and Draco asked in the same disbelieving squawk.

"He's your guest." Vernon looked happy to have finally won some battle that night. "If this Dumbledore person wants him here so badly, he won't care."

"Malfoys do _not _share bedrooms." Draco declared.

"Looks like they do now." Vernon certainly was smug. "You two get to bed, I have work tomorrow. If you want him here, you work it out yourself."

With that, him and a reluctant (she wanted to see how the bedroom arrangement would work out) Petunia went back upstairs, leaving Harry and Draco standing alone in the partially lit room.

"This better be the biggest damn bedroom I've ever seen." Draco told him.

"It's not. It's the smallest in the house." Harry wondered if the cupboard was such a bad place to sleep. It was small and a bit cramped. And there were spiders. But on the plus side, there was no way Malfoy could stay in there too. If it wasn't for the fact that he loathed the cupboard with all the loathing he had, he would have been whistling his way to it. As it was, it seemed like this summer had just become the worst ever.

"You've got to be kidding me." Draco scoffed.

"And there's only one bathroom." Some darker side of Harry was enjoying taunting Draco—well, hell, all of Harry was enjoying it—with what seemed to be the rich boy's worst fear.

"Granger's house is suddenly sounding pretty good…" Draco looked thoughtful for a moment. "Oh wait, no, Mudblood, never mind."

"Why are you still calling her a Mudblood if you're on the good side now?" Harry questioned him as he made his way to the stairs and Draco followed him.

"Because it upsets you and Weasley." Draco replied easily.

There was a moment of silence as they went up the stairs and Harry opened the door to his room. Hedwig hooted sleepily in her cage, Dudley snored on in his bedroom next door.

"Please tell me that you have an Invisibility Charm on the other bed." Draco's voice held a hint of pleading, as though he seriously expected Harry to take out his wand and tap it in the thin air and hey presto! A bed would appear.

"Not quite." Harry smiled as grimly as a person can. "Looks like you're on the floor."

"Why do _I _have to be on the floor?" Draco questioned. "After all, I'm the one who's just had a traumatic evening. In my delicate condition, shouldn't I be pampered and given all the luxuries that can be afforded?"

"No." Harry deadpanned. "I think you'll be fine. You don't even _have _a delicate condition to fall into—unless you're just faking to get someone fired."

"Ah yes, memories of third year." Draco smiled nostalgically.

"Yeah I really liked the part where you almost got one of my friends sacked and then almost got Buckbeak executed." Harry found that it was possible to hate Draco more than he already did. All too possible.

"Buckbeak?" Draco said the name in confusion. Then he seemed to realize who it was. "Ew, you actually remember that thing's name? You've got serious attachment issues Potter."

Harry ignored him in favor of throwing his top blanket on the floor. It was summer time anyways, he didn't really need it. Then he looked at his pillow. Then at the floor. Pillow. Floor.

_Stupid conscience._

He dropped the pillow on the ground and got back under his own covers. When he didn't hear any movement, he turned over to see Draco looking down at the pillow and blanket with a strangely perplexed look on his face.

"What? You're the one who was going on about their delicate condition a moment ago." Harry looked very defensively at the blonde haired boy. "Just go to sleep, we can hate each other in the morning." He flipped back over.

"Indeed." Draco's voice was a whisper and Harry had the strangest feeling that Draco might have wanted to say something right then but didn't. From the tone, it sounded like he had wanted to say thanks.

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I know, I know, predictable set up. But I promise it's a good story! Really, really! Don't take my word for it, just keep reading it! 


	2. Chapter 2

Back for chapter two I see. Well…good. Let me just get some Dr. Pepper and I can sit down and write.

Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter. Nor do I own Book of Enchantments by Patricia C. Wrede. (Don't worry, this isn't going to crossover, the book is just mentioned.)

Warnings: Draco's snobbery. (Ehehehehehe.) Mild swearing.

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Ghosts

Chapter Two

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Harry had desperately hoped that when he woke up, he'd discover that the whole thing was a dream. No such luck.

After a morning of listening to Draco complain (in the future he apparently was not to be woken before nine o'clock), whine (they had the wrong shampoo, no proper hair care products, and no fresh towels), and generally annoy the hell out of everyone around him (he had to have his eggs scrambled, but the person had to whisk them for forty-five minutes first, he didn't like jam on his toast, and he abhorred bacon), Harry was ready to strangle him. Truly, if Dumbledore _didn't_ want Draco dead, why did he send him here?

The only moment when Harry appreciated his presence was when Draco had first seen Dudley. The blonde haired boy's eyes followed his very large cousin for a moment before he leaned towards Harry.

"No wonder you never make fun of Longbottom, he's a swimsuit model compared to your cousin." Draco whispered conspiratorially. Although it irked him a little that he had made a jab at Neville, he couldn't help but feel glad to have someone else at the house that agreed with him.

Dudley had the situation explained to him by his parents and so was very carefully avoiding Harry and Draco at all costs. Harry found it hard to shake Draco, who acted as though the second he was alone he might turn into a Muggle. Dudley went to hang out with his friends and Harry just stayed inside because he had to do chores—the only time when Draco _did _leave him alone because Malfoys apparently didn't _do_ chores.

When he finished, he went back upstairs, opening his door to see Draco holding up his Invisibility Cloak with a very shrewd look on his face. Harry sighed. He could tell where this was heading.

"You have an Invisibility Cloak?" Draco asked in an accusing tone.

"It was put away…" Harry frowned. "Have you been going through my stuff?"

"There's nothing else to do." Draco tossed the cloak aside and flung himself down on Harry's bed. "This is the most boring house I've ever been in."

"Then go outside or something." Harry picked up his cloak in an irritated fashion. Draco obviously didn't have any respect for another person's things.

"Go outside?" Draco repeated it like it was a foreign phrase. He stood up, marched over to Harry and stuck out his arm, pulling back a long sleeve, baring the white skin to the world. "Do you see this Potter? It's seventeen years worth of perfect care—it is _not_ seventeen years worth of _going outside_."

"Well, I don't remember anyone assigning me as your entertainment committee." Harry retorted. "So, in answer to you being bored, all I can say is it's not my problem."

"No one said it was." Draco put his nose in the air and looked out the window, leaning against the window sill. Harry rolled his eyes and decided to try to pick up the room a little bit. His books and stuff were lying around and while normally he wouldn't care, he did not need Draco whining about how messy the place was as well. In fact, the less that Draco talked, the better.

But there were a few things really bothering Harry about this whole arrangement. For one, he specifically remembered Draco swearing revenge against him at the end of fifth year. Had he really had that big of a change of heart? And for that matter, just why _had _Draco switched sides? He had been raised in the Malfoy family and he was always bragging about how they were 'real' wizards. Why hadn't he been able to make that final leap into being a Death Eater? Draco had never really struck him as cowardly. Oh sure, he had done some things that didn't strike Harry as _brave_, but then, they were the sort of things that one might do quite sensibly instead of waiting around to get killed.

He wasn't going to ask though. For one, all he had to do was get through the rest of this summer and he was sure that Draco would be placed somewhere else, or something. And two, he hadn't been friends with Draco in the first place so part of him just didn't care. Somehow, when faced against Voldemort who was hell bent on making his life miserable, all of his rivalry with Draco had felt so petty and small. In other words, he had much bigger fish to fry than Draco Malfoy.

Plus, picking up books right now made it so he could focus on something other than Malfoy. At least at Hogwarts, though they lived in the same building, they were very far apart. Being that this was their room now, he couldn't just go to his room to not be around him. Why didn't Dumbledore have him stay at Hogwarts? That made perfect sense to Harry.

_Unless he finally realized that yes, the enemy can get to me in there so maybe it's not quite as secure as we're always told…_

Sighing wasn't going to help the situation any. In fact, it would probably only exacerbate things even further. As he finished putting his things he away, he noticed Draco getting up and going over to the book shelf. There were books in that room, still. Harry had leafed through a few on occasion when he didn't have anything else to do. Dudley had still never touched them.

"What are these?" Draco's lip curled upwards. "More textbooks? Hoping to pull ahead of Granger to be the world's biggest apple kisser?"

"No, they're my cousins, but he never read any of them. They're books written by Muggles." Harry answered in a steady voice though he just wanted to go over and hit Draco over the head with a broomstick so that the blonde-haired boy would go unconscious. Maybe after that he could roll him under the bed and pretend he wasn't there.

"They sound awful." Draco pulled one off the shelf and looked on the back of it. "_In this book, you will find magic previously untold. Cats who can talk…and unicorns who won't listen. Roses of prophecy…and the sixty-two curses of Caliph Arenschadd. Cruel sisters…and unexpected friends. (Not to mention Queen Cimorene, King Mendanbar, and the Frying Pan of Doom.) Open the Book of Enchantments at your own risk…and prepare to face the magic._"

"Wonder where he got that…" Harry frowned in thought. The Dursleys were so deathly afraid of magic that he couldn't imagine Uncle Vernon or Aunt Petunia buying it.

"That's the lamest thing I've ever heard." Draco snorted and put the book back on the shelf. "Absolute rubbish."

"Compared to all those published novels you've finished?" Harry quirked an eyebrow challengingly.

"I would never write a novel, though perhaps I should think about an autobiography or having someone write my life story. I'd make a rather wonderful book character." Draco observed, looking off into space for a moment. Then he seemed to remember Harry was there. "I suppose it's your favorite book? Did your dead mother read it to you?" Draco sneered and Harry, before he could stop himself, grabbed Draco by the collar and slammed him against the bookshelf, causing books to fall off the shelf.

"Don't you ever talk about my parents in front of me again." Harry's voice was low and threatening. "Or I'll kill you." It even surprised him to realize how real the threat seemed. He could kill Draco. He knew how to use _Avada Kedavra_, hell, everyone in the Wizarding World was expecting him to use it on Voldemort any day now but killing Draco was a far cry from killing Voldemort. But there seemed something very wrong about Draco insulting his family. _His_ mother. _His_ father. Both dead.

"I'll talk about whoever I want in front of you." Draco was furious as he grabbed at Harry's hands to make him loosen his grip. "You think just because your parents died you have the right to ruin everyone else's life! _You're_ the reason he's _dead_!" Draco pushed Harry away at last, only to surprise the green-eyed boy by punching him in the jaw. But Harry recovered quickly and lunged at Draco. Before they both knew it, they were on the ground, kicking and hitting each other, rolling over and over again, never letting the other person end up on top. All the frustrations between the two, the anger, the animosity, it was servicing right then.

The only reason it ended was because Aunt Petunia came in to see what the noise was about and screamed in rage when she saw the two boys fighting.

"You're going to get blood all over the carpet!" Petunia grabbed both boys by the arm and, surprisingly for such a thin woman, hauled them both to their feet and began dragging them down the hall. "I knew if one of your nasty little friends came here you would end up destroying this house! Well I won't have it! You can just stay outside until dinnertime, _both _of you."

"You don't have any authority over—" Draco began sullenly as she let go of Harry to open the front door and then shoved both boys outside.

"Yes I do, this is my house, and I won't have it!" Petunia repeated and then looked around at the other houses on Privet Drive. "And if anyone asks, Harry, this is your mute second cousin."

"I'm not—" Draco tried again but Petunia slammed the door in their faces. They heard the locks click into place. "She thinks these stupid Muggle locks are going to keep me out?" He pulled out his wand, which Harry did not specifically remember giving back to him, and so the dark-haired boy snatched it out of his hand.

"They will. You aren't using any magic." Harry told him, pointing Draco's wand at the Slytherin boy. "You promised last night."

"Like I'm going to keep my promises to _you_." Draco grabbed his wand back and put it in his pocket. There was a moment of silence between the two of them and Harry decided to just walk off. As soon as he set off down the sidewalk. Draco was right next to him. Great. Harry supposed that they were out in the open and Dumbledore had probably meant for Harry to keep Draco out of danger. Who would have ever thought that him and Draco would be walking along the sidewalk together? Of course, Draco was pissed off and Harry was feeling something much less than fond of the boy beside him. He thought of the way Draco's eyes had blazed just before he got his punch in.

_"_You're _the reason he's _dead_!"_

_What did that mean? _

It was foolish to ask but it seemed so much more foolish _not _to ask. Was Draco blaming him for a death? Harry knew the deaths of Cedric and Sirius both weighed down on his heart but somehow, he couldn't see why Draco was upset with him over their particular deaths.

"Malfoy…what did you mean?" Harry asked tentatively. The blonde-haired young man turned sharply towards him. One eyebrow raised questioningly and Harry already felt he had made some mistake. Their shoes slapped against the hot pavement. "You said I was the reason someone died…who did you mean?" The answer to this might help him solve the mystery of _why _Draco had suddenly switched sides.

The pale blue eyes swung to one side, definitely away from Harry. "No one Potter, forget it."

"But—" began Harry.

"I said _forget it_. Or maybe you've never had something you don't feel like talking about." Draco was practically glaring at him now. Harry thought of the many times he had been made to talk about something that made him just want to curl up under a blanket and not think about. There had been nights after Sirius' death and even now where he had been so overcome by emotion that he would have to clamp a hand over his mouth to resist the urge to vomit. And yet still Hermione insisted he speak and write to her about it. Sometimes it made him feel a little better, hell, sometimes it _helped_ but it also hurt like hell. How could a wound heal if everyone insisted he pick at it?

There was silence again, just between the two of them. The sounds of summer drifted through the air. It felt nice not saying anything at all, even if Harry knew Draco was only being quiet because he was annoyed.

By the time dinner rolled around, Harry and Draco had circled around three blocks more times than Harry could count on one hand. Dinner was a short, quiet affair. Draco actually got up from the table before Harry and just went straight up to their room. Harry wasn't sure if he was supposed to do something but he felt somewhat _obligated _to. A voice that sounded remarkably like Hermione's was telling him that he should be trying to make peace…but six years of animosity couldn't be taken away just because they were thrown together. Was that what Dumbledore was trying to do?

He climbed the stairs slowly. Maybe he shouldn't even bother trying to talk to Draco. He got to his door, pushing it open, and leaning the doorframe with one arm. The room had been dark and Harry saw that Draco was already under the covers on the floor and petulantly turned over so he wasn't facing Harry.

"Hey." Harry said, resigning to try _something_, even if it didn't work. His attempt was interrupted by Hedwig flying through his windows with a latter. "Oh, Hedwig."

Hedwig patiently let him get the letter and Harry noticed that Draco was now sitting up and looking expectantly at him. It was from Ron. Harry read it eagerly.

_Dear Harry,_

_We're back at…er, sorry, I almost wrote something I'm not supposed to. Good thing Hermione's reading over my shoulder. We're at the place where we were during summer fifth year. Anyways, Dumbledore says you're supposed to come too! We can spend the rest of the summer together. It's a lot cleaner than it was. Also, my mom told me to tell you that there's plenty of room for both of you. I don't know what that means, neither does Hermione. Is someone staying with you? We're coming on Wednesday, well, Tonks and Lupin and a few others anyways. See you when you get here and Hermione sends love. _

_Sincerely,_

_Ron_

"What's that?" Draco asked in his usual arrogant tone.

"It's a letter from Ron. We're going to stay with them." Harry explained slowly. He felt like he was doing that a lot lately. "At the headquarters of the Order of the Phoenix."

"Where is it?" Draco inquired, his mouth twisted into a frown.

"I can't actually tell you. Dumbledore is the Order's Secret Keeper." Harry handed him Ron's letter, not really knowing why. Ron didn't like Draco. Draco certainly never showed feelings of chumminess towards the redhead. Or Hermione for that matter. Why would Mrs. Weasley not just _tell _them who was coming? Maybe it was another order from Dumbledore. He almost snorted with contempt. Some order. "On Wednesday." This felt stupid. Draco wasn't reading the letter, he was carefully watching Harry. It was a considering, measuring kind of look. What did he want?

Harry practically fell over on his bed. He didn't need Draco heaping more frustrations and responsibilities on his back. _He_ was going to have to tell Ron and Hermione who was staying with them. _He _was going to be the one who had to keep people from cursing each other.

"Stop looking at me." Harry said when he realized that Draco was still looking at him with that measuring look. "If you want to say something, say it. Just stop looking at me."

"I was just thinking about how stupid this all is." Draco spoke loudly and Harry turned his head towards the blonde-haired boy, who stuck out well in the dark room because of his coloring. "Being made to live with you. Being made to live with Weasley and them."

"It was your choice!" Harry sat up. "You're the one who wanted to be on our side!"

"_You weren't there_!" Draco was shaking with anger. "You don't know. You don't know anything about it."

"Then tell me!" Harry slid to the floor and seized Draco's shoulders, shaking him slightly. "If you're going to blame me for what happened, at least tell me what happened! Stop being such a tragic idiot and just say it!" Draco's wide-eyed expression for that one moment told Harry that Draco had never really been spoken to like that before.

"Oh, that's rich coming from _you_." Draco pushed Harry's hands away. "And stop putting your hands on me. I don't care what you and Weasley get up to but I'm not like _you_."

"You know what? Since I'm so damn horrible to be around, why don't you just stop talking to me until they come and get us?" Harry asked, clearly pissed off. "And I won't talk to you and then we'll both be happy!"

"Oh, is _that_ what we'll be? Happy?" Draco turned over and faced the other way as he lay under his blanket.

"What the hell does _that _mean?" Harry questioned in exasperation.

"Piss off." Draco muttered.

_I'm not sure what this means now. If he would just be halfway decent…_

_And what happened to him? Why does it give him the right to be such a…a bastard? _

He found himself staring at the ceiling, trying to figure this out, long past when he heard Draco's breathing finally give way to light snoring. If there wasn't any peace between Harry and Draco, there definitely wouldn't be any between Draco and the others. But how was he supposed to fix things? Or at least make them better?

Harry finally drifted off to sleep, wondering what else was in store for him.

* * *

I rather liked this chapter. It might have been better if my dad had stopped popping into my bedroom while I was trying to write that last bit. So if it doesn't seem all that good to you, blame it on him for breaking my concentration. (Just kidding.) The Book of Enchantments by Patricia C. Wrede is one of my favorite books. I got a copy of it in the 8th grade, back in my English teacher assistant days. It's pretty good, I highly recommend it to people. It's got some comical stories but also really good darker stories. This story is kind of flip-flopping I noticed. I think originally I meant it to be a more comical story but now that I'm planning it out it's just getting darker and darker. (This tends to happen with me.) Also! I slipped in an obscure Nero Wolfe reference in this chapter. The whole 'scrambled eggs must be whisked for forty-five minutes beforehand' thing. I believe it's in _The Mother Hunt_ and Nero Wolfe says that that's how long a chef will whisk eggs before demanding a raise. Well, anyways, see ya guys next time! 


	3. Chapter 3

It's time for another chapter. Woohoo! Let me just put on some good music for this. Wooooooooooooooooooaaaaaaaaahhhhhhh sweet child of mine! Yeah, that was obnoxious. Please read on!

A Few Notes: I keep getting asked about whether or not Lucius was the one who died…erm, Draco's in hiding from his father and the other Death Eaters…so…no, he isn't dead.

Qem: I laughed out loud when I got your review, just because I myself had a very similar reaction when I went to update the story and saw the new format for the login.

Kamikaze-chan: Might I just say that all your reviews put a smile on my face and a song in my heart? And I'm happy to know that you're enjoying this story!

Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter. Otherwise the series would have been a bit like this.

Warnings: Swearing, crying, sad stuff. But good stuff too!

* * *

Ghosts

Chapter Three

* * *

The next few days were filled with silence. Harry would read through his textbooks or the Daily Prophet and just ignore Draco. Draco extended this same courtesy back to him. It was not so much that they were giving each other the silent treatment as they just had nothing else to say to each other.

It was soon Tuesday and Harry began packing up all his stuff. Draco's few belongings, including some spare clothes that someone had given him, who knew who, very easily fit in Harry's trunk with the rest of his stuff. Draco didn't have his broom or his textbooks but he did have his wand. Draco didn't seem particularly concerned about this. Harry supposed Dumbledore had made arrangements for Draco's school things.

_I've surprised he didn't just leave it for me to deal with._

No, there was no reason to start acting like he had to do everything. It wouldn't help and it was damn annoying. He promised himself to give himself a kick in the pants if he started acting like that. But still, he couldn't stand the way things were just handed to him to do and he was expected to do them because, well, he _was _the hero of the Wizarding World.

There was a sense of "Why me?" that came whenever he thought of the Prophecy. Why me? Why did they have to die? Why did Voldemort have to come and destroy everything that mattered to him? Why did they survive? Why did he have to go and kill him?

_Because that's the way things are._

That was the best answer he could come up with. The only answer that really fit at all. He had to stand up on his two feet and look the world in the face. And he could do it, even if he sometimes felt like collapsing and saying…and saying…

_I just don't want to._

And now it was time for bed. And the next day they'd be leaving. So tonight, it would be peaceful. Tomorrow he would have to get up and face the world again. Nothing would change things between them, nothing ever had.

Until that night.

Harry dreamed.

* * *

_Falling through the curtain. Falling through and he wouldn't get up! Why wouldn't he get up? Harry ran towards the curtain but he was too slow. He was always too slow! He could feel Lupin's arms straining to keep him back. He kicked and struggled against someone he considered a friend. Someone he considered his mentor. _

_"Let me go!" He called out. He always called out because he wanted to be next to him. He wanted to be there, to at least feel the last of the warmth leave Sirius' body. To feel the last bit of love leaving. He was Harry's family. He was Harry's only family. He needed him. He needed him…_

"NO!" Harry sat up, screaming out loud. And before he could stop himself, he realized he was crying, tears were streaming down his face. Why couldn't he get over it? Why couldn't it hurt less? Why did Sirius die?

And even as he tried to swallow it all and bury it deep down in himself, tears poured down. He kept seeing little flashes of memory. The sparkle of happiness that had come to Sirius eye when Harry agreed to live with him. The way Sirius laughed. The haunted look. The idea that this man had to spend all those years alone, all those years with everyone who once cared about him thinking he was a murderer and a traitor. What did that man do? Did he stare up at the night sky and think of freedom or how he wanted nothing more than to go back in time and change it all? No happy thoughts left for him. Nothing. Just unbearable loneliness.

In that moment, Harry knew just what it would have felt like. Even though he had friends, even though he had people watching out for him, he could feel horribly alone. His family was gone. He kept trying to stop his tears but he was just crying harder, calling for someone. He wasn't sure for who.

"Potter." The voice didn't really affect him. It felt so far away and Harry just wanted to stop hurting for a few moments. "Potter."

But he was lost in memories. He was lost in a sea of loneliness and just trying to reach out to find one other person who knew. That's what Sirius wanted in life, to be able to reach out his hand and feel someone else grab hold of it. Not to fall through a curtain but to be caught…to be saved.

Harry's hand went out and it felt fabric. He didn't know what came over him but he fell against the warm fabric, something he had never experienced. No one had ever been near him when he cried. Or if he did, someone would pat him on the back or just try to comfort him with words. But words aren't really as comforting as the warm presence of another human being.

He felt a hand on his back. Two hands on his back. Someone was holding him. Someone was letting him cry on them. For the first time. He was the strong one, he couldn't stop being that person. But maybe for a moment…maybe for a moment, it might stop hurting if he clung to someone.

There were no words. Just a person holding him and Harry holding back, squeezing tightly. Was it Sirius? Somehow reaching out to him from beyond the grave? He needed family…was this his family? Was it his mother's warm smile that he had seen in photographs smiling down at him? Was it his father's bright eyes looking down at him?

The tears did stop. He went silent. He was content to stay there. The body made to move but Harry didn't want it to. And so they lay there together until Harry's eyes finally closed again and his dreams came again. But this time, they were not about death or Sirius. They were about…

The nature of dreams is hard to explain. One can wake up in a state of sweating terror and not be able to tell you a single thing about the dream. Or they can wake up with a beautiful smile on their face and saying how they must have had a lovely dream, if only they could remember!

Some dreams are emotions, not images.

* * *

When Harry opened his eyes, he saw that there was no one lying next to him. Had that person been a dream themselves? Or was it…? He shook his head. No reason to be stupid. Of course it wasn't anyone of them. They were dead. He was such an idiot. He always thought there was some way they could come back and of course they couldn't.

He was just staring at empty pillow space now. He turned over. Draco was sitting in a chair, the only chair, staring back at him. There was something intense and strange about the way Draco was looking at him. Something that made it seem impolite to look away. Draco looked as though he wanted to figure something out, but only Harry knew the real answer to it.

_Wait…was it a dream? Or was it…Draco? _

That startled him a bit. And he wanted to dismiss the notion entirely. It didn't happen that way…it wasn't him. He wasn't hiding some soft spirit beneath those layers of hate. That was stupid and cliché. It was a different reason altogether…something…

"I'm going to go take a shower." Draco announced, standing up, still looking at him. Harry stared back at him, unable to make a sound at that moment. The way they had been looking at each other, it had not been pity or sympathy…it was something like understanding. An understanding, yeah. Not that they completely understood each other but they understood something about each other.

_Was it you?_

_Of course…who else could it have been?_

But it was better if neither of them said anything. That was part of the understanding. That they just continue as though nothing had happened at all. Except, it was kind of impossible so they went for as close as they could.

Draco backed out of the room and Harry sat up, glancing out the window. Bright blue skies glared back at him. It was Wednesday, they would be leaving today. He had told his aunt and uncle already, he was pretty sure they were planning a good riddance party for the moment he left.

Nothing left to do but to shower and then wait. Of course he had to wait for Draco to get out of the shower as well. He found himself staring at the ceiling again. He didn't quite understand what had happened. He shouldn't be thinking about it, because they weren't going to talk about it but still…why would Draco do that?

A peacefulness had settled between them. Somewhat. At least they could talk without sounding like they just wanted to rip each other's head off. Harry got up and showered after Draco. They ate some food and then they sat in Harry's room.

They didn't come until it was dark. Lupin was in the lead, with Tonks and a few of the other members of the Order. They all crowded around him. Tonks gave him a friendly cuff on the back of the head and a 'Wotcher!' Remus Lupin, who had looked so much worse after Sirius died, was still pale and thin. There were rings under his eyes. He looked like he needed a decent week of sleep.

Draco hung back during the friendly greetings. He just watched them all with his calculated expression. No one really acted particularly friendly towards him, nor did they act rudely. It was the kind of indifferent kindness that rises up in people when they have absolutely no idea what to do in that situation. If anything, people were overly polite to him. Draco seemed to be used to this.

Then it was time to load everything up on the brooms and they had a spare one for Draco, and then they took off. Mad-Eye wasn't with them and so the broom ride ended up being shorter than Harry remembered. It was too bad. Harry knew he would be glad to have Hermione and Ron with him again, but Draco was there now too. How would that affect everything at Grimmauld Place?

They touched down in London and just as they had before, there was a piece of paper waiting to be read by Draco. Draco read it and threw the piece of paper over his shoulder. The house was there in front them.

As they walked up to the door, Harry glanced over at Draco, who looked nervous and pale. He didn't know what to expect. Or, he did know what to expect. The same thing he had expected when he showed up at Harry's door. Perhaps he was even anxious to go ahead and get it over with. Harry wondered what he was thinking about right then. Draco saw him looking at him and quickly looked and scowled. Harry smiled. He didn't fool Harry. He could pretend that he was perfectly alright with all of this but he knew he wasn't.

"Hey." Harry caught Draco's sleeve with one hand. Draco turned towards him, not quite meeting his eyes.

"What?" Draco looked irritable.

"Nothing." Harry shook his head, not quite understanding why a smile was twitching at the corners of his mouth. Or for that matter, why the corners of Draco's own mouth twitched upwards. There was a moment of silence, the others shuffling towards the door in front of them.

"It was Nott." Draco said, almost without thinking. Harry stared at him with a confused expression.

"Nott?" Harry knew he knew the name. Was he someone from school?

"That's who it was." Draco elaborated a little. Harry still couldn't quite make the connection. "That's the person who died." Then he turned away from the green-eyed boy and made his way towards the door.

Harry's brow furrowed. Why had Draco told him that? And if Nott, Theodore Nott, he remembered, was dead, why would Harry be the reason? He could barely recall the stringy Slytherin boy he had spotted only a few times with Draco. If Nott was dead…

Who had killed him?

He sped up to catch up with the others who were filing quietly inside. It was time to see Ron and Hermione.

* * *

Oh, you totally thought I was going to write that next part in this chapter, didn't you? Nope. No Ron and Hermione for you until the next chapter! I might have been over emotional at the time and listening to music that reminds me of this story at the time, but I started crying while I wrote one of the parts. Guess which one? I like how this chapter turned out but I don't know if anyone else will like it. Well, _I_ still like it. Kisses! 


	4. Chapter 4

And we're back on schedule! I'm thinking I can write another chapter of this tonight. Go for it Jade! I should probably get another cherry coke though. I'm kind of sleepy and it's only like, eleven. And the music is sad. That might not bode well for the story. I find that my music always ends up affecting the tone of my stories. I started this one story out, totally intending to write a humorous one shot and before you know it, it's all angsty and stuff. I'm writing this whole story while only listening to eight songs! Go me! Time for the story!

Disclaimer: I so don't own Harry Potter.

Warnings: Oh Ron, I still love you…

* * *

Ghosts

Chapter Four

* * *

There was no one waiting for them in the front room. Harry supposed that they were waiting in Ron and his old room. Would it be just his and Ron's room now? Or would Draco stay in there? That was just asking for trouble though. Even Dumbledore wouldn't be that daft. Everyone was quiet out of habit. The portrait of Sirius' mother had been taken down but some still feared that somehow, if they made a loud noise, it would come back into being.

"Come on." Harry muttered as the other Order members turned to go into the kitchen. As soon as the door opened, Mrs. Weasley stepped out. Harry braced himself, he knew what was coming.

Mrs. Weasley threw her arms around Harry and hugged him tightly against her.

"Oh, Harry, it's so lovely to see you again!" Mrs. Weasley pulled away to beam at him. "Ron and Hermione are upstairs waiting for you…" Then her eyes traveled from Harry to Draco. "You must be Draco."

Draco gave her a curt nod. Mrs. Weasley gave him her most endearing smile. Harry blinked in mild surprise. He supposed that Mrs. Weasley was quite used to being a mother and she seemed to like taking people under her wing.

"You're welcome to stay with us for as long as you need." Mrs. Weasley put a hand on his shoulder that appeared to bewilder Draco. "Dumbledore told me _everything _and if you need anything at all, please don't hesitate to ask."

Draco had clearly been expecting enraged sparks to be flying from Mrs. Weasley's mouth as she stomped on him. Instead, she was in pure mother mood. But then, Harry reasoned, it might have a bit to do with his situation. She had disapproved of Mundungus Fletcher and even, he swallowed hard, of Sirius. But Draco was still just a child in her eyes, a child who didn't have any family. Mrs. Weasley was a caring soul. That's what she did, provided care.

She gave Draco's shoulder one last tight squeeze and then turned back to Harry. "You show him up, alright Harry?" Then she leaned in a bit. "And…and…well, it's good to see you, I really have to go back to the meeting." She knew Ron and Ginny and Hermione were _not _going to be pleased to meet Draco Malfoy. But Mrs. Weasley went back into the kitchen and they were left out in the front room, standing alone.

"Is she always like that?" Draco asked in an almost irritated fashion.

"She's really nice." Harry remembered that Mrs. Weasley had been nothing but kind to him. Sure, he feared her wrath the way her own children did but in the end, she was always ready to make him feel like he was part of their family. "And if you make one dumpy comment about her, I'll curse you."

"I wasn't going to." Draco looked indignant. "What are they doing in there?"

"It's a meeting for the Order of the Phoenix." Harry was a bit annoyed. The children were still probably not allowed to know anything. Not even him. "Come on." He went up the stairs, Draco after him, and when he got to the second floor landing, he could hear the voices of Ginny, Ron, and Hermione. They were joking around. He was about to drop a bomb on them.

_At least we'll all be together when they hear…_

_No one was there to help me when Draco showed up on my doorstep._

He scowled at that thought. There was no reason to play the victim now. He twisted the door knob and opened up the door.

"Harry!" Hermione and Ron cheered as he came in.

"Hi Harry." Ginny waved from where she was sitting on one of the beds. Harry turned to see that Draco was standing back a bit. He frowned at the boy who stared back in a very reproachful manner.

"What're you—" Ron was about to ask but then Draco came into the room. "_Malfoy_!"

"What's he doing here?" Hermione stood up, holding out a hand a bit, as though she could hold back Ron somehow. Or maybe she was trying to shield him, who knew? Ginny was the only person who didn't say anything, she just looked incredibly curious.

"Oh, I thought I'd drop by for a game of Exploding Snap, Granger." Draco rolled his eyes. "What do you think?"

"He's staying with us." Harry decided that now was not the time for sarcasm. "Dumbledore had him come stay with me for a bit before we came here. He's on our side now."

"Not much of a choice really." Draco's tone was completely cold. This was more the reception he had been waiting for. "It was either that or be killed."

"How do we know he's really on our side?" Ron questioned suspiciously. Hermione seemed to be trying to read Harry's expression as though she could verify his story with her mind if she concentrated hard enough. "He's a Malfoy! Like he couldn't just join with his father!"

"Wait a minute Ron, if Dumbledore—" Hermione began, still looking at Harry, although he wasn't sure _why_. What did she expect him to say? What was she looking for?

"Oh, so if Dumbledore said it was okay for us to all jump off a bridge, would you do it?" Ron turned towards Hermione heatedly.

"That's completely different Ron Weasley and you know it!" Hermione shook a finger at him, eyes flashing. "Dumbledore wouldn't have sent him here if he didn't trust him and he wouldn't have sent him to Harry if he didn't believe that Malfoy wouldn't hurt him…" For a brief moment, Harry and Draco glanced at each other and then glanced away. Each knew that the other was thinking about the night before.

"I think Hermione has a point." Ginny piped up from where she was sitting.

"Get out of here Ginny, this doesn't involve you." Ron snapped at his younger sister who glared back.

"To hell it doesn't!" Ginny leapt to her feet in a fair imitation of her brother. "Stop treating me like a baby just because I'm _one year younger_ than you—"

"Shut up!" Harry cut in, rubbing the side of his head. He could feel a headache coming on. "Just everyone please shut up for a moment." There was a brief, awkward moment of silence between the people in the room.

"I think it's a bit like Snape." Hermione spoke up and all eyes turned to her. "What I mean to say is that we've always suspected Snape of being on Voldemort's side and we always turn out to be wrong. He's working for the Order and Dumbledore trusts him. And I know you don't like it Ron," Hermione shot a warning look to the red-haired boy who opened his mouth to speak. "But the Sorting Hat did talk about how we needed to stay together. Voldemort likes everyone hating each other because it distracts from _him_."

Hermione then took a deep, determined breath, and then walked across the room with her head held high. She stopped right in front of Draco, looking a bit stern.

"So, if you're on our side now, then we've got to all shake hands and at least be civil to each other." Hermione swiveled her head around to shoot Ron another look. Then she turned back towards Draco. She stuck out her hand.

Draco looked at it for a few moments. He didn't look surprised, he looked more like he was trying to figure out why Hermione was sticking her hand out like that. What she said had made sense but it seemed strange that the same girl who took a good swing at him in the third year was now the first person willing to shake hands with him. After a few moments, Draco took her hand, looking away, as though he really didn't care one way or the other and shook with Hermione.

"Good." Hermione nodded her head briskly. "I expect you and Harry have already talked. So, Ron, Ginny?"

Ginny stepped forward before Ron did. She had a grim expression on her face and little wonder. While Draco himself had never really done anything terrible to her, his father had been the one who slipped Tom Riddle's diary into her things in her first year at Hogwarts. She shook hands briefly with him, but didn't say anything.

Ron looked like he'd rather drink acid and stood there for a few moments, not moving a muscle.

"_Ron_!" Hermione hissed insistently. "If you just stand there than you're no better than…than…" Hermione was going to say _him_, but it didn't seem like the right thing to say. Draco said it for her.

"Then you'll be no better than I am." Draco smiled in a sardonic fashion, glancing over at Hermione. "Right?"

"That's not quite how I would put it." Hermione folded her arms stubbornly. "Although, you can't pretend you haven't been a bit…" She hesitated again. "Oh, go _on_ Ron." Ron stuck out his hand and Draco shook it for a moment with a cool expression, as always.

"I don't really trust you." Ron said bluntly.

"That certainly makes one of us." Draco spoke haughtily. Ron opened his mouth to retort and even though Harry knew Hermione was about to step in, he decided to take matters into his own hands.

"Alright, alright. It's like Hermione said, we don't have to like each other but we might as well be civil because any other way what help us any." Harry told the two boys who immediately let go of each others' hands. He then turned towards Hermione, Ron, and Ginny. "What's been going on?"

"The usual." Ginny reported with a peeved expression. "Mum won't let us know _anything_."

"Haven't we already proven that the 'not telling us anything' plan is a bad one?" Harry rolled his eyes. "So no one has any idea what Voldemort is up to?"

"_We_ don't." Hermione shook her head.

"I bet Snape does." Ron grumbled. "Greasy-haired git…" Before anyone could say anything though, Draco had his wand out and was holding in front of Ron's face, level with his nose.

"Hey, what did we just say!" Harry grabbed Draco's wrist.

"Tell Weasley here to keep his fat mouth shut." Draco wrenched his wrist away from Harry. Draco had lost his composure completely at that moment and looked rather like a child does after he has been told off.

"Ron, if you can't at least act—" Hermione began but then cut herself off. "This isn't going to get us anywhere, is it? Why don't we get you two situated before we try to talk? I'm sure you two would like to freshen up after your journey." She thought for a moment. "Ginny and I have been sharing the bedroom we shared last time we were all here. Ron and Harry _were_ in here…" She seemed to be trying to decide something. "I suppose you'd like your own room then?" Hermione turned towards Draco.

"I don't care." Draco glared at Ron, not even looking at Hermione. "As long as I'm not with Weasley."

"Then you can have the room the twins were in last time." Ginny declared the solution. "Come on, I'll show you up there." Draco regarded her for a few moments with his measuring expression but seemed to find nothing wrong with her offer.

"Yes, that would probably be best." Hermione nodded in agreement. She seemed a bit fidgety but Harry imagined it had something to do with her not exactly liking the volatile situation they were all in. "Go on Ginny."

Draco took one last look at Harry before going to follow Ginny. Harry wasn't sure why, but he wasn't exactly happy with this solution. But that didn't make any sense at all. He supposed he must have just gotten used to sleeping in the same room as Draco. Maybe he _did_ have attachment issues.

When the footsteps led away a bit, Ron sat down on his bed rather heavily.

"I can't believe this is happening." He groaned.

"Well, believe it." Harry sat down on the other bed. "How do you think I felt when he showed up on my doorstep in the middle of the night?"

"You could have sent a warning." Ron shot Harry an accusatory look. Then he fixed Hermione with a look. "And what's with your whole 'let's all be nice to each other' thing? Malfoy's been on me since the first time we met. I wouldn't expect him to be chummy all of a sudden. And you saw the way he pulled a wand on me the first chance he got!"

"But he didn't curse you." Harry pointed out.

"Am I the only one who has a problem with this?" Ron looked around at them in exasperation. "Am I going mad?"

"Don't be so dramatic, Ron." Hermione's brow furrowed. "The reason I said we should be nice to Malfoy is that if we aren't, then we're acting just like he always does. Besides, maybe he has switched sides and he honestly has had a change of heart."

"I'm sure he has." Ron commented sarcastically. "The same guy who called you a 'Mudblood' at every possible turn..."

"Just give him a chance." Harry finally spoke up. Ron and Hermione both looked at him. Ron looked incredulous and Hermione had a very curious expression, as though she suspected something but she didn't say anything. "I mean, we've got to live with it no matter what, right? It's not going to do any good to sit here and commiserate."

"Harry's right." Hermione nodded fervently. "There's no reason to cause trouble."

"Fine." Ron still didn't look very happy. "But I don't have to like it."

"No one's forcing you." Harry felt like throwing a pillow at his best friend but didn't. "Besides Voldemort, has anything interesting happened?"

"Fred and George are making loads of money with their joke shop." Ron changed the subject cheerfully. He didn't even want to think about Malfoy right then. "And guess what?"

"What?" Harry grinned a bit, because for the first time in the past week he felt like everything was normal, even if for just a brief moment. There was no Voldemort or Draco or the Order or anything. It was just them, talking about nice, mundane things.

"Bill and Fleur are getting _married_." Ron announced. "Wild, huh?"

"That's kind of weird to think about." Harry mused. "You'll have veela blood in the family."

"Yeah, Fred and George volunteered to cater the wedding but Bill said he didn't want anyone turning into a pumpkin." Ron grinned. "Percy's coming to the wedding though…" Ever since his fifth year, Harry knew that Percy was trying to mend the ties he had severed with his family. It was a bit of a hard task because Percy wasn't quite willing to admit all his mistakes, the twins were a bit unforgiving, and Harry knew Mr. Weasley was probably still hurt by the things that Percy had said in anger to him. Harry wasn't so sure he felt sorry for Percy. If he had a family, he certainly wouldn't have thrown it away just because of a new job.

_The Dursleys are different. A real family. Where I really belong. _

"When's the wedding?" Harry asked interestedly.

"During school." Ron looked a bit put out. "Apparently Fleur wants a fall wedding or otherwise Bill would have had it during the summer so Ginny and I could be there."

"I'm sure there will be lots of pictures." Hermione tried to be optimistic. "It's not quite the same but—"

"Are you kidding? Weddings are boring." Ron tried to put a good face on things. "I don't know why anyone bothers having them." Harry and Hermione shared a hidden look that almost made Harry break out into snickers. Ron looked up, looking about wonderingly. "What's taking Ginny so long?"

"I don't know." Hermione seemed to notice that the red-haired girl had been gone this whole time. "Maybe she went to the bathroom or something after she showed Draco where his room was."

"Maybe I should go check." Ron started to get up.

"No, I'll go." Harry jumped up. He didn't think it would be good for Ron to run into Draco by himself. As bad as he always thought things were between himself and Draco, things were more openly hostile between him and Ron.

He left the room and went up the stairs. When he got up to the floor where Draco was staying, he could hear some giggling. Ginny. He walked down the hall a bit, until he got to a partially opened door. Harry wasn't sure why he stopped and listened for a bit, he couldn't help it.

"…I know what you mean." Ginny was agreeing with something. She was sitting on the bed, about a foot from Draco.

"Won't your brother be wondering where you are?" Draco asked her in a teasing tone. Ginny giggled into her hand.

"Nah, he won't care." She pushed some of her red hair over her shoulder dismissively.

"Er," Harry decided to interrupt, coming into the room. Ginny stood up, looking slightly guilty but with a smile on her face. "Sorry, Ron was wondering where you were."

"I guess you were right." She smiled at Draco, sharing a small secretive look with him. It was some sort of instant inside joke. Harry didn't know why, but he was frowning at that idea. "Well, I'll go down then." And she left the room, passing by Harry, who turned a bit to see her go and then found his eyes going back to Draco, who was sitting quite casually on the bed.

"What were you two talking about?" Harry inquired.

"Oh, this and that." Draco waved a hand airily. "Nothing really."

"Hmm." Harry made a noise, but he wasn't exactly sure how to respond. "Will you be fine sleeping in here…?" It was a hesitant question, mostly because he wasn't sure why he was even asking it.

"Will I be fine sleeping by myself? I'm an only child; I never shared a room except for at school." Draco's tone was uncaring and almost bored. "Unless of course you need me to come down and hold your hand when you go to bed." There was a hint of malice and Harry swallowed as he thought about just the night before…the bad dream…the person holding him…This was the Draco he was more familiar with. Tainting comfort he had received, even if it was comfort that Draco had given. But he didn't want to admit that it had any sort of effect on him, because that might give Draco some sort of power over him and Harry knew he didn't want to give him that.

"No. I don't." Harry replied coldly and then without another word, turned away from the blonde-haired boy.

He knew he had been trying to hurt Draco back.

* * *

Got a bit introspective there at the end. I blame it on that Mazzy Star song, "Fade Into You" which is one my ultra spiffy Ghosts' soundtrack playlist I made myself. It's got some good stuff on it, like 'Here With Me' by Dido (I don't know what it is about Dido, it always helps me write) and 'Under the Milky Way' by The Church. Since this is kind of a weird story, there's some weird stuff on it that makes sense in my head when I think about how it relates to the story, but would be hard to explain to you guys. Hope this wasn't too dramatic of a chapter, I tried to be as realistic as possible with Hermione and Ron in this chapter, and I feel like I did an okay job…but alas, I'm insecure sometimes. Hope you guys liked it. 


	5. Chapter 5

Chapppppppter five! Wow, my spell check hates me. Oh well. I should really go to bed right now since it's like one thirty in the morning and I have to get up at seven to get ready for work. Well, no one ever said I was practical…besides, what's better? Sleep, or another chapter? (I think the author and the readers would differ on this one, but for some reason, the reader thing is winning me over.) If I don't write this, I might think about it all day when I should be concentrating on shelving books in alphabetical order…(some of the sections are so messed up though that I don't really think it makes a different) but I'm going stop rambling now.

Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter. Or any Chronicles of Narnia references I made in this chapter. (Has anyone seen the trailer for **The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe** yet? It's so awesome looking! Even though they started with the wrong book…(I'm a nerd, can you tell?))

Warnings: General weirdness. Stuff.

* * *

**Ghosts**

**Chapter Five**

* * *

The next couple of weeks, even though it was completely strange to think about, there was almost a routine that the whole group fell into. Mrs. Weasley had decided the best way to keep the children out of trouble was to have them do chores. Mostly just keeping the enormous house clean. Draco had protested loudly to doing chores, but only after the first few days, and then he settled in, maybe because Mrs. Weasley ran a tight ship and knew how to put her foot down. 

It was a strange sight to see Draco doing the dishes, albeit magically, and methodically getting each dish as clean as possible. Harry found himself not paying as much attention to his own chores as he did when Draco was cleaning in the same room as him. Was it the shock of seeing Draco doing any sort of manual labor? Or was it just because of the look on Draco's face as he went about his task? Efficient, calculating, and scrutinizing.

It wasn't as though the whole household was in perfect peace with Draco. Ron and him could not be left alone in a room together and Harry and Hermione always made sure to be in the room with them.

"Stunning Spells at the ready." Hermione would joke quietly whenever they went into a room with the two.

Mostly they just started insulting each other back and forth, which Harry or Hermione would cut in during and try and change the subject. Besides insulting Ron, Draco didn't say much else. He said little to Harry, even though Harry would catch him looking at him.

Draco would talk to Ginny though. Harry wasn't sure Ron actually knew that whenever Ginny said she was going up to her room, she'd just happen to wander upstairs and start chatting with the blonde-haired boy. Harry didn't know what they talked about, but sometimes he wondered why Draco wouldn't bother talking to him but he would talk to Ginny.

_Things aren't different between us. We aren't friends or anything. _

_ But…something _did _happen between us…_

_ I don't know what though._

Ron spent most of his time complaining about Draco to Harry and Hermione. (Ginny would usually just roll her eyes and leave the room when this happened.) Harry would just sort of shrug and Hermione would just nod patiently, in such a fashion that Harry wouldn't be surprised to learn that she wasn't actually listening at all. One day, Hermione did stick up for Draco.

"He's actually almost pleasant." Hermione looked thoughtful for a moment. "He doesn't say a whole lot, which I must say, is a vast improvement from 'filthy Mudblood'."

"He's still a wanker." Ron muttered bitterly. Harry didn't blame him, he and Draco never had anything remotely pleasant to say to each other. He wasn't sure if Draco was just reciprocating the animosity Ron was obviously feeling towards him or not. It seemed like Draco had a very active defense system.

"Well, he's bound to have relapses." Hermione reasoned. "Actually, he reminds me of Eustace from _The Voyage of the Dawn Treader_. I keep expecting him to say, 'I'm afraid I've been pretty beastly.'" She giggled a little at this thought.

"The Voyage of the What?" Ron's face screwed up in confusion.

"The Chronicles of Narnia, honestly, Ron…" Hermione shook her head and sighed a little. "Although I guess since you grew up in an all magic family…"

"I'm going to go take a shower." Ron grabbed his towel. "If Malfoy isn't using it…that idiot spends more time in there than anyone else in the world…" And then he scowled and left the room.

As soon as he did, Harry felt the sudden urge to ask Hermione a question. He kept wanting to bring it up, but he didn't know how. And it seemed weird to ask anyone, but he wanted to know.

He decided to just go for it.

"Hermione," Hermione turned towards him. "Do you know remember Theodore Nott?"

"The Slytherin boy?" Hermione's face screwed up as tried to remember. "A little…I never actually talked to him or anything. Why?"

"Oh." Harry tried to look nonchalant. "Malfoy said that he died."

"How?" Hermione looked a bit surprised.

"I don't know." Harry admitted. "But Malfoy…Malfoy said that I was the reason he was dead. What do you think that means?"

"Hmm," Hermione frowned a little as she gathered her thoughts. "My only guess would be that in fact, you didn't really have any hand in his death, but Malfoy has somehow redirected his anger over the matter towards you, which wouldn't be hard to do for him. He's blamed you for things before."

"Wish I knew what happened…" Harry trailed off. Why did he _want _to know? He shouldn't, it didn't make a difference at all, it was Malfoy's business…But yet it still bothered him and he found himself laying in bed some nights, staring up at the ceiling, knowing that somewhere above his head, Draco was sleeping, or maybe he wasn't. Maybe he was staring up at his own ceiling…

"I know you do." Hermione smiled knowingly at him. "I think part of you wants to make friends with Malfoy."

"What?" Harry looked perplexed at this suggestion. "I didn't say that."

"I know." Hermione's knowing smile grew wider. "But I can tell that what's you're thinking. I can understand why. You two have known each other for a long time…and now you're both in the same situation. Malfoy's family wants him dead, he doesn't really have a family anymore and you…" She trailed off, obviously not sure how to go on. "Maybe a part of you understands Malfoy more than you realize."

"Have you been at those Cheering Charms again?" Harry asked suspiciously. Hermione threw a pillow at him, hitting him in the side of the head. They grinned at each other.

"Of course, you have to remember…" Hermione grew serious again. "It won't be easy trying to be friends with him. Malfoy's not going to make it easy and Ron…" Hesitation. Hermione always hesitated when she almost said something bad about Ron. Unless it was to the redhead's face. "I can't say that I _like _Draco, but he has gotten easier to be around and well…I told you once that I thought bravery and friendship was more important than books and cleverness…I still think so and it's situations like this that remind me of that."

"That was really deep Hermione." Harry observed.

"Of course it was!" Hermione shook her head in exasperation. "I don't see why you and Ron insist on giving each other bad advice all the time when you could just come to me." She pretended to be weary of this.

Hermione was right. Being friends with Draco. It was hard to imagine, but at the same time, not hard to imagine. It wasn't as though they'd be inseparable best friends by tomorrow. But they could be _something_…

But sometimes he didn't like Draco at all. Sometimes he wished that the blonde-haired boy just didn't exist. And sometimes he was even glad that Draco was there. It just didn't make sense. But who said these sorts of things were easy?

* * *

Harry woke up in a cold sweat. He didn't know what he had been dreaming about but he was terrified, his heart was racing, and he knew that in his dream, something horrible had been happening. Another nightmare. 

He tried to go back to sleep. He tossed and turned but it didn't help. No position made him feel any sleepier than any other. Ron's snoring seemed too loud. Deciding to get a drink of water, Harry swung his legs over the side of the bed and got up. The grey t-shirt and white boxers he was wearing were all rumpled up and his glasses, that he put on groggily, felt askew. He didn't even bother grabbing his robe as he felt uncomfortably warm as it was.

He walked down the silent, dark, hall on his way to the bathroom. The whole house was sleeping, except for him. It was like the ghost of a place, empty of its life, even if just for a few hours. His feet, in their white socks, padded along the floor. But for some reason, when he got to the stairs to the next floor, he stopped. Harry stared up into the darkness and the stairs that led further up.

_Why am I standing here? _

There was a strange hopeful feeling in his mind that he couldn't fathom and finally he moved away from the stairs and to his left. He turned on the light and grabbed a cup, filling it up with water. Then he carefully turned the water off and tilted his head and the cup back, taking a long drink of water. He emptied the cup and when he looked at himself in the mirror, he just stared at his reflection.

_It's because I'm tired._

_ I'll go back to bed and just go to sleep…_

Even though that still seemed impossible. He didn't really feel like going back to sleep and was sure he was in for another night of tossing and turning until the sun came up.

"Are you going to stand there all night, Potter?" Draco's voice startled him and he dropped the paper cup he had been holding. He quickly grabbed it and looked up to see the blonde-haired teenager, looking at him imperiously with those ice blue eyes.

"No." Harry felt somewhat dumb. It was strange to see Draco in the same thing he was wearing, with his hair rumpled up. It made the Slytherin boy seem a little more human, a little more like him. Harry stepped outside of the bathroom and stood there, even after Draco had closed the door. What was he waiting for? What was he doing?

Draco came out a few minutes later. When he opened the door and saw Harry there, he quirked an eyebrow at him.

"What are you doing?" Draco asked him.

"I'm…" Harry looked down to see he was still holding his cup. "I was still thirsty."

"What are you doing up?" Draco questioned him, moving so that Harry could get around him and use the sink. Draco's tone wasn't friendly, nor was it exactly mean. He sounded suspicious, if anything.

"I couldn't sleep." Harry mumbled as he filled up the glass again. Then he glanced over at Draco. "Why are you up?"

"I had to use the bathroom." Draco answered, almost defensively. "Why can't you sleep? Weasley's snoring?" Harry laughed a little. "What? You can hear it from here."

"No." Harry shook his head. "Just…bad dreams."

"Oh." Harry had touched the taboo subject between them. That night…which seemed like a million years ago. Draco's expression became unreadable. Harry would have given anything to know what he was thinking. "I can't really sleep either."

"Maybe we should stay up together." Harry suggested without thinking. Then he tried to explain. "It'll give us something to do."

"I suppose it will be more interesting than just lying in bed." Draco shrugged his shoulders. "Come on then." And Harry followed him up the stairs and down the hallway to his bedroom.

For some reason, they didn't turn light any candles or anything. They just sat on Draco's bed in the dark. Harry saw for the first time that Draco's bed was actually right next to a large window and he stared out at the twinkling night sky. They didn't really talk at all; they just stared out the window together.

"Do you like it here?" Harry ventured after awhile, still looking out the window.

"It's not terrible." Draco's answer was begrudging. "Other than the chores."

"They aren't that bad." Harry couldn't help but smile to himself. "I noticed you and Ginny talk a lot." Why had he brought that up? Draco didn't say anything and Harry thought he must be wondering where Harry was going with this. Draco was always so careful…he always seemed to match the mood of the other person. "Ron hasn't noticed yet…he probably won't like it when he does."

"Like I really do anything based on whether or not Weasley approves." Draco scoffed. Harry leaned back, propping himself up with his hands behind him. They sank into the soft white blankets that the two boys were sitting on top of.

"No, but if you and Ginny are friends, he's bound to say something." Harry pointed out logically.

"If I want to talk to Ginny, I will." Draco jutted out his chin a little. "It's not any of _your _business." Harry's head turned to look at the stubborn face in front of him.

"I forgot I'm just a nosy bastard that you hate." Draco had definitely struck a nerve. Neither of them said anything and Harry just turned back towards the window, trying to shut out Draco completely and focus on nothing but the sky.

"I don't think you're a nosy bastard." Draco finally broke the silence, which was unusual. Usually it was Harry that did this.

"Is this where you tell me that you don't hate me?" Harry asked, almost amused with the situation.

"No." Draco turned and fell over onto his pillow. "Sometimes I still do."

"But sometimes you don't." Harry turned towards him, a quirky, understanding smile playing at his lips. "I feel the same way about you…"

"Then we're in agreement." Draco actually smiled back. Then he shut his eyes and Harry found himself watching Draco instead of looking out the window. There was something about it that kept his eyes there instead of looking away, like he supposed he ought to.

"You called her Ginny." Harry realized all of a sudden. One of Draco's eyes opened. "You call everyone else by their last name."

"What else would you have me call you?" Draco asked in a cryptic tone.

"Harry." Harry didn't mean for it to come out. Both of Draco's eyes were open and he propped himself up on his elbows. His expression was measuring, but mixed with curiosity. Harry swallowed, not sure why his throat had constricted all of a sudden. "You could call me Harry."

"Why?" Draco asked, but not in his demanding, accusatory tone. He genuinely wanted an answer.

"Because I want you to." Harry couldn't think of any other reason that he could put into words. A strange, bittersweet, almost longing look, was there in Draco's eyes for a fleeting moment that Harry almost missed by blinking.

"Then I suppose you could call me Draco." Draco was studying his face, looking for something. At least that's what it felt like. And the night air seemed suddenly cool to Harry and he felt…he felt…

"Why?" Harry couldn't help but repeat the question.

"Because I want you to." Draco's small smile was enigmatic. Then he laid back against his pillow again. "I believe this staying up together thing is working…I'm feeling sleepy…"

"Me too." Harry longed to get under a blanket and be wrapped in warmth and drift off…He got up off of Draco's bed but it seemed somehow wrong to just leave. Not after what just happened, not that he could really say what _had _just happened. But it was something. "Is it alright if I sleep in the other bed?"

"If you want." Draco didn't bother opening his eyes. Harry walked over and slid under the covers of the other bed. Resting his head on the pillow, he turned so he was facing towards the window, towards Draco. He realized what the feeling that was making him feel so sleepy was. It was peace. He felt at peace all of a sudden. He saw that Draco had turned on his side, but was facing Harry.

Their eyes locked and they just looked at each other for the longest time. Harry didn't know why he suddenly wished their beds were closer together, he just did. It was as though they were trying to explain themselves to each other without saying a single word, because saying any of it out loud…it might break the spell.

"Good night, Draco." Harry finally said.

"Good night, Harry." Draco replied. And then, as if they had agreed on something, they both closed their eyes and drifted off to sleep.

* * *

Omigod, I love that last scene. Sometimes, when you're writing, you kind of feel like a scene didn't flow as well, but that last scene just wrote itself. 'Here With Me' by Dido is now the official theme song of this story as I played it about a million times this chapter. Okay, the Chronicles of Narnia thing…Eustace is my favorite character from those books and every time I re-read _The Voyage of the Dawn Treader_ (my favorite book from the series!) and read the diary entries that Eustace makes, they totally remind me of Draco. I guess there's some obvious parallels between the two. (Mostly the whole, 'Eustace turning into a dragon' thing. Wait, is that a spoiler? Am I spoiling it for anyone? I think I'm spoiling it for Teresa because I think she _still _hasn't read them.) And also, that bit of dialogue popped into my head way back when I was writing the first chapter…waste not, want not. Please review! 


	6. Chapter 6

The ones you call your friends, are leaving you again, reach into your bag of tricks and make it go away! Woo, this is fun. My Ghosts' soundtrack is on, I've got a delicious glass of sweet tea, and now…THE STORY! The hit counters for this story do tell some tales though...it's strange how many hits one can get as opposed to reviews. Quite strange.

Just A Small Note: Although I know some of you have your reservations about certain things in this story, I assure you that my plot is a finely tuned instrument. Just trust me on this one. Have I ever let you down before? (Don't answer that.)

Kamikaze-chan: Artwork? Of my story? No one ever does pictures for me! Although, I wish I could draw at all, I'd make the best poster type thing ever for this story but I can't really describe it because it would reveal future plot points…but still, I'm honored to think that my work can in turn inspire others.

Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter.

Warnings: Mild swearing.

* * *

**Ghosts**

**Chapter Six**

* * *

"Where were you?" Ron asked Harry the next morning, when they met on the stairs to go down to breakfast. "Did you wake up really early or something?" 

"Yeah. Sort of." Harry scratched the back of his head with his hand. There was no reason to tell Ron where he had been. He tried to tell himself it had nothing to do with what Ron's reaction might be, because as Harry irritably thought, he was his own person and could do what he wanted, but he knew it had a lot to do with just that. Ron's reaction would be important to him.

_He just doesn't need to know what happened…I'm still not sure what happened. _

_It was kind of like some weird dream I had._

That sounded like an understatement though. When Harry woke up that morning, noticing that he was in a different place, wondering vaguely where he was, he was horribly reminded by the sight of Draco's empty bed. Not that he knew why he thought that was a horrible reminder. Just something in him thought so. If only he could somehow explain what was going on or what had happened.

More importantly, what would it be like now? After what had happened? Only time could tell.

"Good morning you two." Hermione yawned her greeting when they entered the kitchen together. Ginny was sitting next to her and Draco was sitting across from Ginny. Draco glanced up quickly at them and back down. Harry felt very tense all of a sudden.

"Good morning 'Mione." Ron sat down next to her rather pointedly, giving a quick dirty look to the blonde haired boy. Harry stood for a moment, unsure what to do, noticing that Ron was giving him a look that suggested the red-haired boy wanted him to sit next to him but Harry set his jaw and sat across from them—next to Draco.

"Good morning." Harry mumbled, not looking at the blonde-haired boy. He did this out of courtesy. He got the strangest feeling that Draco would appreciate the fact that he wasn't suddenly being really buddy-buddy towards him. Draco didn't say anything and Harry felt a small resentment towards him.

_Never mind that then._

Scowling, he turned towards the others. "Where's your mom?" He noticed that there were already plates and dishes on the table and began helping himself to bacon and eggs.

"Oh, she went out shopping." Ginny volunteered, leaning on one elbow. "She went to Diagon Alley to get our school supplies."

"Our letters came today?" Harry blinked.

"Apparently Dumbledore dropped them off last night." Hermione was suddenly beaming so brilliantly that Harry had an inkling of what was about to be said. "_I'm _Head Girl! Can you believe it!"

"Like we didn't see that coming a mile away." Ron grinned proudly. "You are the smartest girl in our whole year."

"So, who's Head Boy?" Harry asked interestedly.

"I don't know." Hermione shrugged. "It wasn't Ron."

"It's most certainly not me." Draco finally spoke, looking as cool and casual as a cat. "It's either Goldstein or Macmillian."

"I say it's Ernie." Ron voted. "I mean, Goldstein wasn't really into it or anything when it came to prefect duties."

"Well, it doesn't really matter." Harry shrugged. "Really, congratulations Hermione—you earned it."

"Thanks." Hermione tried not to look too pleased with herself as she took hold of her glass of orange juice.

"Do you really get your own rooms?" Ginny asked, using a piece of bacon to gesture. "You'll enjoy that—no having to yell at anyone while you're trying to study for your N.E.W.T.s."

"Oh, don't remind me!" Hermione had a stricken look on her face. "This year is going to be so important! If I don't get all my N.E.W.T.s…"

"This is going to be just like fifth year." Ron sighed. "Hermione's going to a nervous breakdown, you and I are going to have color coded study guides again…"

"They were helpful." Harry defended, but he was smiling. "Although if I don't get everything, that's it for me. I'll never be an Auror."

"I'm sure you will be." Hermione said comfortingly. "Besides, you'll have, um…" She bit her lip. "Besides, you have tons of experience! And even if you don't become an Auror, maybe you can become a professor and teach Defense Against the Dark Arts." He knew Hermione was going to mention the fight with Voldemort but had refrained.

_Let's just pretend that it doesn't exist right now…I don't want to think about it right now. _

"What about you, Draco?" Ginny turned towards the silent boy with great interest. "What are you going to do after school?" Ron suddenly turned and eyed his sister quite suspiciously. Harry tried to make the situation easier by turning towards Draco as well. Draco looked over at him and then back towards Ginny.

"I haven't really thought about it." Draco said rather coolly, while getting up from where he was sitting. "I'm finished now." And then he walked out of the room. No one said anything for a moment.

"As if anyone cared what _he _did." Ron rolled his eyes. "He probably doesn't know now that his rich daddy disowned him—"

"Shut up, Ron." Ginny frowned at her brother.

"What?" Ron turned towards her quizzically.

"I said to shut up." Ginny stood up, tossing her red hair angrily. "You don't know anything about Draco and I think it's really unfair of you to say that."

"Why do you keep calling him Draco?" Ron's eyes narrowed.

"Ron…" Hermione began to cut in, even though she was looking at Harry. Why was she looking at him? What did she expect him to do? Why did she have that strange look on her face?

"I've been calling him Draco because I feel like it." Ginny stuck out her chin quite defensively, as she was prone to doing.

"You don't even know him!" Ron pointed out.

"I know him better than you do. At least I talk to him, which is more than the rest of you do!" Even though she said that, her eyes rested momentarily on Harry and he felt acutely uncomfortable.

"Ginny, did you forget what he's done to us over the years? Did you forget what his dad did to _you_?" Ron looked around the table for support. Hermione had a quiet, concentrated look on her face, her lips were pursed. Harry wished that he didn't have to be in the room right now.

"His _dad_, Ron, not him." Ginny hit a hand on the table. "Hermione, you said that we were all supposed to be civilized and you three aren't even making an effort! Do you think just ignoring him is civilized? I thought better of all three of you." She spun on her heel and stomped out of the kitchen, slamming the door shut behind her.

"What the hell was all that about!" Ron turned towards his best friends. "What's wrong with Ginny?"

"Ginny has obviously become friends with Malfoy." Hermione explained in a weary, exasperated tone. "You aren't making things easier Ron."

"Easier? For _him_?" Ron turned towards Harry. "Come on, mate, back me up here!"

"If Ginny wants to be friends with him, we can't really stop her." Harry felt like a coward right then. Ginny was the only one who was going to stand up and declare that she would be friends with whoever she damn well pleased. Not that Harry couldn't do it, but it was different. It was just different for him. It was easier for her. "Have we ever been able to stop Ginny doing anything?" He tried to joke.

"We all shook hands." Hermione reminded Ron. "Even you. You could at least _try_—"

"I don't understand you Hermione! Or you!" Ron gawked at the two of them. "I mean, this guy has been trying to make our lives completely miserable since day one and now you guys are defending him? That's just—"

"_I am not defending him, Ron_." Hermione cut in, her voice as sharp as a knife. "Stop acting like we're all ganging up on you. I didn't say we were all great friends with him now, but Ginny seems to like him and it probably hurts her feelings to hear you say mean things about him."

"He needs to stay the hell away from Ginny!" Ron declared protectively, jumping to his feet.

"Ron, how would you feel if you were him?" Hermione tried, her voice perfectly calm but Harry could tell that she had emotions just beneath the surface of that. If only he could do that—pretend to not be feeling anything at all. "He's probably lonely. Who does he have now? His family wants him dead. His old friends are all Slytherins and they're not going to be very happy to see him. He's lost everything. I'm not saying that makes him a good person, but at least try to see it from his perspective. Harry?" She gave him an expectant look.

"Everything's changed Ron." Harry put in, feeling lame. "If you keep letting him get to you, you're letting him win…"

"Yeah, you're right." Ron nodded and sat down heavily. "I can't let him get to me. But I still don't want him hanging around Ginny." Hermione sighed and once more pursed her lips to show she had nothing more to say.

"I'm…I'm not really all that hungry." Harry had lost his appetite.

"You seem kind of weird this morning." Ron said decidedly.

"Have you been having nightmares again?" Hermione blinked, looking concerned.

"Oh, no." Harry lied. "I'm just not hungry, that's all."

"Well, we don't have to do anything today, since Ron's mom is shopping." Hermione told him. "Maybe you should go lie down for awhile." His mind immediately went back to sitting on Draco's bed with Draco. He shook his head a little.

"No, I'll just, er, go take a shower or something." Harry knew that Ron and Hermione still suspected something was out of place but he quickly exited the room.

_Way to go Harry. You really made your opinion known, didn't you?_

_It's not going to do any good, not with Ron acting the way he is…_

He climbed the stairs to the second floor but found that he kept on walking, right passed the bathroom and up the stairs towards the third floor. He decided he would just peek into Draco's room for a moment and…and…check.

_Check on what?_

_I don't know…I don't even know what I'm doing?_

Harry really wished he could explain himself lately, but he just couldn't. If someone had told him first year that he would end up checking up on Draco, he would have said they were crazy.

Two voices were talking. Ginny's and Draco's. It was a good thing Ron hadn't come looking for Ginny; he would really blow a gasket.

"I just think Ron was being unfair." Ginny's voice came drifting out the doorway and Harry saw that the door had been open part way. When he got up to the door, he stopped, not wanting to interrupt them. Why was he spying? Why did he even _care_? Ginny was sitting on Draco's bed, just a foot from the boy.

"Do you?" Draco raised an eyebrow at the youngest Weasley. "Are you defending me now?"

"I can do what I want." Ginny replied testily.

"The champion of such a terrible person." Draco's mouth twisted into a sardonic half smile. "After making your brother's life so miserable…don't you feel any loyalty to your family?"

"Well, yes." Ginny looked at him warily. "Of course I do. My family is the most important thing in the world to me but I still want to be friends with you."

"And you suppose that we're friends?" Both of his eyebrows were raised now. "What if I don't want to be friends?"

"Then you'll have to talk to yourself." Ginny reply held the hint of a joke to it. "And you enjoy having an audience too much."

"My weak spot." Draco admitted. "So, there's no cleaning today?" He had clearly switched subjects on purpose and Harry felt he had come to that point in time where he was officially eavesdropping but he couldn't find it in himself to announce his presence.

"I'm so glad too." Ginny nodded her head and held up her hands in front of her face with a look of slight unhappiness. "My hands have gotten all rough from all that scrubbing." Harry goggled as Draco reached over and took one of her hands, not holding onto it but peering at it for a moment before beginning to massage it with his own hands.

"They really aren't all that bad." Draco spoke knowingly. "But you should try taking better care of them. What would we do without Ginny Weasley and her hands?" Harry didn't even know he made a noise until Draco and Ginny both looked at him. Ginny had a terribly guilty look on her face and snatched her hand away from Draco hastily. Draco just looked mildly surprised, as if he had simply been expecting Harry but not quite so soon.

"Hello Harry." Ginny tried to pretend that nothing strange had been happening. "I was just talking to Draco and…" She trailed off when she realized that Harry wasn't looking at her. Harry wasn't sure why he wasn't looking at her, even though she was talking. He was just looking at Draco, unable to tear his eyes away. Something felt wrong and he didn't know what it was.

"It's fine." Harry finally mumbled. "Sorry, I thought I…" Then he tore his eyes away from Draco's pale blue ones. "Nobody's going to use the showers right?" He plastered a cheery, normal look on his face. "Because I'm going to take a shower now."

"Oh, no, I wasn't." Ginny looked back and forth between Draco and Harry with a questioning and curious look. "Well, I better go see what my brother's up to." But Harry had already turned away from the door and was heading back towards the stairs. He heard footsteps behind him and for some reason, his heart lifted in his chest with hope but then dropped back down again when he realized it was Ginny.

_What's wrong with me? _

There was a moment of silence before Ginny spoke. She tugged nervously on his sleeve to make sure she had his attention.

"Hey, Harry…" Ginny trailed off. "You aren't going to say anything to Ron, right?"

"No." Harry had half an idea right then to tell Ron. He felt like it would be only right somehow but he quickly dismissed it. "I don't care if you and Draco talk…"

"I didn't think you did…" Ginny glanced around. "He just…wants to talk to somebody sometimes…you know. Sometimes he…" She glanced around once more, as though she thought someone would be hiding in the shadows, listening to the conversation. "He talks about you."

"What?" Harry didn't understand.

"He told me about last night." Ginny toed the ground. "I came to get him for breakfast this morning and you two were sleeping…I asked what happened…"

_He told her? About what happened last night…_

And for some reason, the idea that Draco had told her, that Draco had shared that moment with her really bothered him. He couldn't explain why Draco shouldn't be allowed to talk about it. But…but…

_"Good night, Harry." _

_It's just private. It's not any of Ginny's business…_

"We were just staying up, neither of us could sleep." Harry tried to trivialize it as best he could. Make it sound like he didn't care and make it sound as small as Draco had obviously done. "Well, is that it?"

"Yeah." Ginny still looked like she really wanted to ask him something but refrained. "Ron's not really angry right now, is he?"

"Nah." Harry didn't really know what came over him but he put a hand on top of her head, ruffling her hair a little bit. Ginny was like a little sister to him. "He's just being stubborn. Hermione probably talked to him more after I left."

"And we all know that Ron can't resist her." Ginny giggled into her hand. "Have a nice shower!" And she hit him on the back before skipping down the steps. Harry watched her go, still feeling like he was wondering around in a fog. Why was he so confused all of a sudden? Why was he acting so weird about all this? It didn't have anything to do with him if Draco and Ginny wanted to…hold hands or whatever it was.

"Are you going to stand there all day?" Draco's voice asked, making a reference to last night that almost made Harry smile.

"No, I was just thinking." Harry didn't turn around to look at him. A moment of silence where neither one said anything passed.

"It's not what you think." Draco said suddenly.

"I'm not thinking anything." Harry felt defensive for some unknown reason. "Don't worry, I'm not going to tell Ron about it—I already told Ginny that."

"I don't really give a damn whether or not you tell Weasley anything, Harry." Draco's use of his name made him turn. It still sounded foreign to hear that drawling voice say his first name, but it had been the right thing to say. "It just sounds like you didn't like what you saw just now."

"I don't care." Harry replied in a biting voice. "I really don't." He was lying. But what was he lying for? And why? Why was everything so out of focus all of a sudden? He turned completely away from the blonde haired boy. "I'm going to go take a shower." And with that, he descended the stairs, leaving Draco behind him.

_Why did you tell me that? _

_And why did you have to say my name? _

_But now I know…_

Harry closed the bathroom door behind him and locked it. He turned the water on and started to undress.

_I really didn't like seeing you and Ginny like that…_

_

* * *

_

Kind of a weird chapter again. Plenty more where that came from! (And in comparison to some future chapters, this is actually quite normal.) Although some have expressed their feelings that Hermione seems a little too accepting, I don't know, I just don't see it that way at the moment. But then, I do know everything that's going to happen in the story, so of course my point of view is a little different than everyone else's. Same thing with the pace of the plot, I know what's going to happen, thus I don't see it from the reader's perspective as easily. Well, hmm, yes, everything does seem to be going okay now, doesn't it?


	7. Chapter 7

You know, I didn't really think that many people read this story. I mean, I only get like three or four reviews at most each chapter, so I just thought, "Well, I like this story and a small handful of people also seem to enjoy it." But then, out of curiosity, I went to look at my stats and they tell a completely different story. I didn't realize more than like five people were reading it. Go me! (And hey, it'll be six soon, Teresa hasn't read any of it!) Maybe this is a few people's guilty pleasure reading. Which makes me feel self conscious. Well, on with the story!

NOTE: Yes, I've read the six book but once again, I started writing this story and planned out before it came out. The events of the sixth book have no effect on this story.

Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter.

Warnings: Oh…stuff.

* * *

**Ghosts**

**Chapter Seven**

* * *

The next day was September first, the day that school started. As it was, Harry was a little relieved that they would be going back to Hogwarts, where Ron and Draco would be well separated. Harry sighed as he thought about yesterday while folding up socks.

Harry wasn't sure what had been happening, he was making sure that he indeed had all his homework done, when he heard Ron yelling at the top of his lungs. Hermione came bustling by the room, muttering something to herself and he had a sudden inkling as to what was going on.

He raced up the stairs after Hermione, who was definitely in a hurry herself. When they reached Draco's room, both with wide-eyed, worried expressions, they saw their suspicions confirmed. Ron was yelling, going red in the face, with Ginny standing there with a resolute look, her jaw jutting out. Draco was sitting on his bed with a bored expression on his face which was clearly only exacerbating Ron's already angry mood.

"WHAT THE HELL IS GOING ON HERE!" Ron yelled.

"Ron!" Hermione immediately grabbed him by the shoulders and was trying to shove him back from Ginny and Draco, but with little success. "Calm down!"

"CALM DOWN? _CALM DOWN_!" Ron threw his hands up into the air. Hermione took a step back from him so she wouldn't accidentally get hit. "What were they doing!"

"Nothing, Ron!" Ginny spoke insistently. "We were just talking!"

"You have to sit that close to him when you talk?" Ron questioned her furiously. Then he turned on Draco. "You stay the hell away from my sister, do you hear me?" Harry just stood there, unsure why he hadn't moved yet. He had to do something, he couldn't just sit here.

"You can't tell me who I can't talk to!" Ginny shrieked at him, trying to lunge at him but Hermione stopped her.

"Yes I can!" Ron glared at her. "I can when it's about _him_!" His eyes swung from his younger sister back towards Draco. "I swear, if I find out you did _anything_—"

"I have absolutely no interest in your sister, Weasley." Draco tilted his head up to look at the ceiling. Then a funny, cruel smile spread across his face. "But I can't help what she does, can I?"

Ron's face nearly went purple. "You think that just because Dumbledore sent you here, that you have the right to be a bastard to the rest of us, but you don't. You were sent here because no one else wanted you! _Your family threw you out_!"

Draco's eyes narrowed, almost to pale blue slits. He didn't say anything at all and Harry knew that Ron had gone too far and he saw that Ginny was looking directly at him, knew that he had to do this.

He crossed the room and planted his feet directly in front of Ron, so that his face was inches away. Ron, even though he was taller than Harry, instinctively took a step back.

"Ron, get out." Harry told him in a hard voice. "They weren't doing anything."

"Are you standing up for him!" Ron asked in a demanding, accusatory tone.

"That's right!" Harry poked him in the chest with his index finger. "I _am_ standing up for him. Maybe now you'll see what an asshole you're being! So what if Ginny and him were talking? You aren't even _trying _to be nice; you're just shunning him, just like he wanted me to do to you our first year. But did I!"

"No…" Ron was starting to look ashamed.

"Okay then." Harry straightened up. "Then apologize."

"What!" Ron quickly snapped out of being ashamed. "Why?"

"Because of what you said." Harry adjusted his glasses. "It was completely uncalled for."

"Harry…" Hermione tried to break in gently.

"No, Hermione." Harry shook his head at her. "Let him apologize, I know he will, because he's my best friend, and my best friend is a decent human being." He gave Ron an expectant look. Ron stared at him for a few moments, trying to take in what he said. There wasn't any attack in there. Sticking up for Draco, being friends with him…it didn't have to mean he had to be enemies with everyone else. That's what Ginny already knew.

"I'm sorry." Ron didn't look like he completely meant it and he sounded like he was trying to swallow something unpleasant. Harry turned to see Draco's reaction but Draco just sat there, his eyes wide with shock. He didn't say anything at all.

"Let's…let's go downstairs." Hermione sounded almost faint. "It's tea time." And she ushered Ron away. Ginny took one last look at Harry and Draco before going after her brother. Harry was about to follow them but just as he went to go forward, Draco stopped him.

"Wait." Draco sounded hoarse, almost as though he wasn't sure how to speak.

"What?" Harry turned around to look at him.

"You just stood up to Weasley…" Draco trailed off. "Why?"

"All those times you made comments like that to him, didn't I stand up to you?" Harry's voice made the question have a thousand different meanings at once. Then he smiled a little. "I think Dumbledore said something like that in our first year, 'It takes a great deal of bravery to stand up to our enemies, but just as much to stand up to our friends.' Something like that. I think I really know what he means now…But I always stick up for my friends."

There. He had said it. Friends. The two of them. Draco regarded him for a moment and Harry knew that this moment was important, though he couldn't for the life of him say why. If Draco laughed at him…well, that would be it for that idea, he wouldn't bother bringing up again.

And then Draco smiled. But not his usual smirk, a true, genuine smile. It was very brief, but Harry remembered that in that very moment, that was how they had become friends.

Still, it didn't mean Draco and Ron liked each other any better. And that was why today, Harry was glad that they were all about to go off to school. Someone called for him to come downstairs and he dropped the last pair of socks into the trunk. He went down the stairs and saw Mrs. Weasley telling Hermione, Ron, and Ginny something with a grave expression on her face. Ron looked surprised by whatever it was, Ginny was biting her lip and looking really worried, and Hermione was just nodding her head with a distant expression on her face.

He didn't know how he knew, he just knew someone was dead.

"What's going on?" He asked and he heard someone coming down the stairs behind him. Draco.

"We just got a message…" Mrs. Weasley looked past Harry at Draco. "Severus Snape was killed last night."

It surprised Harry more than anything. He couldn't say he was sad, not in the least, but he knew at that moment that moment that the real effect it would have would be on Draco. He turned to look at him but Draco's eyes had gone cold, his whole face was an expressionless mask. He didn't say anything, he just turned and went up the stairs. Hermione made as if she were going to say something but then refrained. How do you say anything of comfort at a moment like that? When it hasn't even sunk in that someone you know is dead? You don't even have to like them to experience that chill.

_I should talk to him…_

But how? And would he want to talk right now? Harry just stood there and he knew that was all he could at that point in time. There was no magical solution to pull out to this problem. Nothing he could do.

Hermione always said he had a saving people thing.

* * *

The night air was cool, but warm enough for it not to be uncomfortable. The roof was definitely a little uncomfortable. Where the attic hit a window was a flat area where you could easily lay down and look up at the night sky. It was hard to see the stars but they were still there, twinkling high above them.

And there they were, lying on this flat part of the roof. It was a little past midnight and he couldn't explain how they decided to go up there. For the longest time, neither of them said anything, just stared up at the sky.

"He saved my life you know." The words came out and he could hear the slight edge to them, the way that he used to say things about the person he had lost to this war. "That's why they killed him."

"How do you know that's what it was?" He asked and looked over to see that sharp, elegant profile that almost looked unreal in the darkness.

"That night…" He trailed off, his head moving to look at the person next to him, a bang falling across his forehead. "It was me and Theodore. Except that he hated it when I called him Theodore. He hated a lot of things, especially his father. Then my father came in, my mother right behind him, and a dozen Death Eaters…They told us we could join or be killed.

"I didn't think about it really. I'd join. I wouldn't be a Malfoy if I didn't join. But then…_he _showed up and my father got down on his knees to kiss the ends of his robes…it was disgusting. I've never seen him like that. And then I knew that I would have to do that too…but Theodore, he hated what his dad was. When he was asked, he said no. And they killed him. They just killed him and he fell down next to me. And everything I was told, about purebloods, and all that…it was lies. They would just kill him because he didn't want to be one of them and he was…he was the closest thing I've ever had to a friend.

"I just stood there while they asked and then he knew that they would kill me if I didn't say something and he saved my life." He finished his story. "He got me out of there, even though it meant everyone would know that he was a traitor."

He looked away from him and looked up at the sky again. He didn't know what to say this…this story, which told of a different side of a person he never liked. Maybe, if things had all gone differently, if his father hadn't…maybe he would have known the person that the blonde-haired boy next to him knew.

"She told me about…your godfather." The blonde-haired boy said in a voice that didn't show sympathy, nor any hint of meanness. He didn't know what to say for a few moments.

"It was a couple years ago. Sometimes, I think I'm finally…I don't know, _better_. And then…I have these nightmares." He adjusted his glasses. "They make it hard to sleep."

"Is that what…?" The question wasn't finished and it didn't have to be.

"That's what I had a nightmare about that night." He answered. And then his head turned towards the other one again. "And…thanks."

"For what?" The person's voice was strange, a little afraid if anything.

"For what you did." He answered cryptically. Another pause.

"Tomorrow, you'll hate me." The pronouncement was so matter o' fact that he wondered where it had come from. "Tomorrow, all of this disappears."

"It doesn't have to." He insisted.

"It will anyways." The blonde-haired boy shook his head forlornly and he had to do something to show that he disagreed. And though he couldn't explain why, he reached over and grabbed hold of his hand—startling the other boy completely.

And they didn't say anything else for the rest of the night. They just lay there, looking up at the sky. Each one wondering when the other would let go.

* * *

I won't go, I won't sleep, I can't breathe until you're resting here with meeee. Sorry, singing. Um…that was kind of a weird chapter. Hmm. Next chapter, going back to Hogwarts! Woot! Of course that's when the story gets really complicated…so…yeah. Tune in! 


	8. Chapter 8

Whee! Back to this fab-u-lous story! Sorry, I'm just in a giddy little mood…I won't bore you guys for long, let's just get to the goddamn story…

NOTE: I'm going to address two things here: 1) Harry's behavior in the last chapter. Well, I guess that's the way the cookie crumbles. I thought it was in character but I guess that's just me. Ron was being a dick, Harry told him off. Ron's my favorite character in the whole series so it's not like I'm picking on him. 2) Who said this was slash? I don't remember revealing the pairings to anyone…

Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter…with very good reason, it would be even darker than it already is…

Warnings: Oh, stuff.

-------------------

Ghosts

Chapter Eight

--------------------

It was a strangely quiet, almost subdued affair, getting them all to the train station. Everyone was already packed and so they were ready to go the next morning after everyone had showers. Of course, with time to spare, there was some milling around.

Ron, Hermione, and Ginny were all one last cup of hot chocolate in the kitchen and Harry _was_ going to join them, he really was. But part of him just felt…separated from them, detached almost. He knew that if he went in, they'd all greet him and make room for him at the table. Ron would slap him on the back and Hermione would be shaking her head over the latest thing that Ron said wrong.

Harry glanced up the stairs. Draco hadn't come down. And to go and join the others, forgetting about Draco altogether seemed strange to him. Even though he never thought he'd care one way or another whether Malfoy was feeling included or not. Things had changed.

He slowly climbed the stairs, the floorboards creaking in their familiar fashion, his hand sliding up the wooden banister. The finished wood was cool and smooth to the touch. For a brief moment, Harry could just picture a young Sirius running down those steps, his hands barely touching the banister in his eagerness to get to Hogwarts and away from this dreary old house.

Strangely, the house didn't feel so dreary anymore. It seemed…cozy, old, _nostalgic_. That summer with Sirius seemed a thousand years ago. This was a different place now. No longer a formidable house of dust, it was full of other memories. Ones from this summer.

Suddenly he was dreading going back to school. He remember what Draco said to him last night, about him going back to hating him. Things would change when they got back, he just knew it. He wouldn't be able to stop it.

To say that they would always have this summer sounded stupid to Harry. It was something you'd read in a weepy romance story or something. This was different. It just was.

He found Draco sitting in his room. His back was to Harry and he was staring out the window. It didn't seem that long ago that they were both sitting on that bed, looking out that window. The blonde-haired young man looked a thousand miles away, in his own world.

"Draco?" Harry broke the silent spell by whispering the name. Draco turned around. His face betrayed no emotion. If anything, he looked faintly irritated.

"What?" Draco was looking right at him and for some reason he began to fumble.

"Oh…we're all having hot chocolate in the kitchen." Harry tried lamely. "I thought…well, do you want some?" Draco looked at him for a moment more before turning back around.

"No."

"Are you ready to leave?" Harry didn't want to leave the room quite yet.

"No." Draco repeated himself. "But I don't really have a choice."

"Yeah." Harry nodded his head. He couldn't say why later, but this conversation seemed to be a very important one. Somehow he had memorized the room at that moment, the way it was dimly lit, the way it cast shadows on the walls—or ghosts of things past.

_Will I stay here forever as a ghost?_

This house _was_ haunted. By him.

-------------------------

The train sat at the station, blowing off steam that would temporarily fog the platform nine and three-quarters. Parents were saying good-bye left and right. The moment they had gotten through the barrier, Draco disappeared. Harry was about to go look for him but Ginny stopped him and shook her head.

"We've got to go up to the prefects' compartment." Hermione went a bright shade of pink. "I've got to explain prefect duties to the newest ones."

"This is going to be worse than fifth year." Ron rolled his eyes. Then he turned towards Harry. "We'll be around as soon as we can."

"Come on, Harry." Ginny tugged on his sleeve. "Let's go sit somewhere."

"Alright." Harry didn't know why he felt so reluctant about everything. He needed to cheer up; he was going back to Hogwarts. It was his last year. It felt as though he had been going to school forever, even though it hadn't been that long ago that he lived under the reign of his bullying cousin and slept in a cupboard under the stairs.

As they filed down the train, they kept looking into the little compartments to see which ones were open. Ginny was greeting people and Harry would just wave. Seamus and Dean were in a compartment with Parvati and Lavender but Ginny promised they'd be around to say hello later.

That's when it happened. They went past a compartment full of Slytherins. Harry didn't mean to look inside but he did. His eyes connected with a pair of blue ones. Draco looked like he was in the middle of saying something but he stopped short. The other Slytherin seventh years turned to see why and all sneered at him.

"What are you looking at, Potter?" The cold drawl was back in full force. Harry opened his mouth to say something, but Pansy Parkinson let out a short, barking laugh and Blaise Zabini slammed the door shut.

"Forget about that." Ginny tugged on his sleeve again. "I found an empty one."

"It's fine." Harry shrugged and put on his best nonchalant expression. "Let's sit down." But deep down inside, something hurt.

_Why?_

--------------------------

"I'm surprised at you." Pansy Parkinson put on a nasty expression. For the seventh year in a row, Draco's compartment had a little more people than it could actually fit. "I heard you've…been disowned."

"My father says you've turned traitor." Crabbe, who obviously didn't know what loyalty was, started up.

"I heard you've been living with…the other side." Vincent looked completely disillusioned.

"What should we do to you?" Blaise Zabini tapped a finger against his chin thoughtfully. "We won't kill you of course. We'll just make your life a living hell."

"You," Draco drew himself up and his face had superiority written all over it. "Are all a bunch of idiots."

"Oh, really?" Pansy arched an eyebrow.

"Yes, really." Draco flicked her nose with his index finger arrogantly. "Did it ever occur to you gits that maybe, the Dark Lord, _orchestrated _these events? Did it ever occur to you that I, Draco Malfoy, would never turn traitor? With my generations pure blood? Perhaps, but don't take my word for it, you kids don't get to know every little thing about the Dark Lord's master plan."

"Oh!" Pansy's eyes grew wide. "You mean…?"

"Maybe." Draco looked irritatingly vague at that moment. "But I'll let you decide whether _I_ would run off and join the Mudbloods and blood traitors, or if there might be some sort of secret agenda."

"But my father said the night that you—" Crabbe began but Draco interrupted him.

"As much as I'd like to pretend that they're all morons, Dumbledore's not just going to let a Slytherin waltz into his secret little camp unless he's thoroughly convinced." Draco buffed his nails on his black robes. Then he rolled his eyes. "I knew I shouldn't have said anything, you're all going to blab to the entire school and that would ruin _everything._"

"No, we won't." Zabini frowned. Then he looked apologetic. "Sorry about that, Malfoy, but we hadn't heard anything different all summer…"

"That's right." Draco spoke sharply. "And no one's supposed to hear any differently at all. That's also why you might see me _pretending_ to be decent to people who are far below me."

"Ugh, like Potter?" Pansy grimaced.

"Yes, like Potter." Draco looked weary. "Him and his gang of do-gooders will probably try to talk to me a lot."

"But you were mean to him just now." Zabini pointed out.

"Yes, but he and I worked that all out beforehand." Draco waved a nonchalant hand in the air. "I'm not actually supposed to tell any of you any of this, but I thought I could trust you four."

"You can!" Pansy vowed. "No one's to breathe a word of this under pain of death." She brandished her wand.

"Very good." Draco settled himself into his seat. "Now, who wants to buy me food off the trolley?"

--------------------------

The start of the year feast was as lavish as ever, to the point where you couldn't tell that they were in the midst of a war. Harry came in with Hermione and Ron, who were telling him about what they had been doing on the train. When they sat down at the Gryffindor table, Harry pointedly did not glance over at the Slytherin table.

_He thinks he can get to me, but he can't._

It didn't help matters in when Ginny glanced over at the table, frowned a little, and said, "It seems like Draco's in everyone's good graces…that was fast."

"Ginny…" Ron didn't seem to understand why they had to keep tabs on Draco now that they were all back at school.

"Wait a minute…" Hermione seemed slightly confused. "Look around. There's lots of people here that I'm sure I've never seen before."

Harry did glance around and saw that there _were_ unfamiliar faces throughout the whole dining hall. They looked the right ages to be in school, but he was sure he had never seen any of them before.

"Excuse me." Dumbledore had gotten up to the podium and everyone immediately stopped talking. (Well, a few people kept talking but very quietly and kept glancing up towards the podium because whatever Dumbledore had to say was bound to be interesting.) "Before you begin eating, I have a few announcements to make. First, it is my duty to inform you all once more that our caretaker, Mr. Filch, wants all students to review the list of banned items from the castle. Take some time to go over them at your own leisure. And second, you may have noticed that there are a few new faces among you."

"Who cares about Filch? I've never seen that list and I'm pretty sure no one else has." Ron muttered out of the corner of his mouth and Harry grinned.

"These are transfer students. Some other schools have suffered damages recently and we've agreed to take on students until their schools are repaired. Please welcome them to our school and help them with any questions they have." Dumbledore explained. "And now, I believe it's time to eat."

"Transfer students?" Hermione's head tilted to one side. "From where?"

"Who knows?" Ron was distracted by a large steak that he was furiously attacking. "Foreign schools. I did hear something about some kind of attack in the States but as soon as my mum saw me listening she shut the door. 'You're too young for this, Ron.'" He did an imitation of Mrs. Weasley.

"It'll be interesting to hear about other curriculums." Hermione cheerfully poured herself a glass of pumpkin juice. "As prefects, Ron, it's our duty help out the new students."

"Dumbledore said it was everyone's job." Ron pointed out. "Don't we have enough to do?"

"Some of the transfers are cute." Ginny waved a little at a boy who was sitting further down the table who very shyly waved back.

Strangely, Ron didn't seem too bothered by this. When Hermione nudged him, he shrugged in such a manner that said, "If it's not Malfoy, I don't care."

After the feast was finished and there were a few more announcements, Harry and the others began heading upstairs. It was crowded with people going to their separate common rooms and talking to each other in large groups. He saw someone with red hair and thought for a moment in was Ginny but then she turned towards him.

He stopped breathing for a moment.

It wasn't because she was remarkably pretty or anything, it was just her features. Her red hair, her face, a face he had seen before, but only in photographs and once in memory. A face that was almost a perfect copy of…

Except the eyes.

She had her father's eyes.

------------------------

Dun, dun, DUN! Man I'm awesome. What's going on? Oh…I don't know. Stuff. I told you guys that the storyline got weird. Really weird. This story is kind of a personal challenge to myself. This chapter is all wonky and transitional. Please review.


	9. Chapter 9

Oh, it's soooo great to be back in action. It feels like I never write on this story. (Mostly because it's easier to sit down and write on the epic that is Substance of Things Hoped For.) But I know you guys want me to write on this story too…well, some of you do anyways. Most of the reviews for the last chapter had a lot of caps involved in the reviews, which made me excited. I'm glad that the story is actually making people sit up and pay some attention.

NOTE: There was an awful lot of confusion about the end of the last chapter—don't worry, all will be revealed. Observe, nothing up my sleeves…

Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter.

Warnings: Mild swearing.

------------------------

Ghosts

Chapter Nine

-----------------------

It was a moment frozen in time. He didn't know what to do. There she was. Looking right back at him. It couldn't be real. It couldn't. But then, why not? People disbelieved in their own situations whenever they were too fantastic or too horrible.

If it was real…then Harry would have something he had always longed for. No matter how many friends he'd make or what he would accomplish with his life, he couldn't ever expect to feel like this. That's why it had to be real: Because it would hurt too much if someone suddenly pulled it away.

"Watch out, Harry." Hermione's voice made him glance towards his friend. Hermione was looking at him as though trying to figure out a very difficult Arithmancy problem.

"Did you see her?" Harry asked her.

"Who?" Hermione looked around.

"Her." Harry looked back but she was gone. There was no one there. How could she have disappeared so fast?

"Do you mean Susan Bones?" Hermione saw a girl in that direction but Harry shook his head in frustration.

"No. It was one of the new students…a transfer…" Harry couldn't pull his eyes away from the place where she'd been standing. "She had red hair and brown eyes…she was…"

"What?" Hermione prompted.

"I think she's my sister." Harry felt the words come tumbling out.

He could feel it. It was his sister. No one had ever said anything about siblings but maybe they just didn't know! Could Lily and James have hidden a child away in desperation?

Was she younger? She couldn't be his older sister because she wouldn't be in school. What if they were the same age? Fraternal twins?

_Someone who shares the burden…_

_Family._

_This is what I've always wanted._

But she had disappeared so quickly. She had seen him, he was sure of it. Maybe she hadn't realized it…

"Harry…" Hermione hesitated. "You don't have a sister."

"Did you see her?" Harry questioned her, suddenly in a defensive mood.

"Well, no." Hermione shook her head. "I didn't." Then she saw the look on his face. "I'm not saying I don't believe you! I'm just saying that no one's ever said anything about you having any siblings before! Why would they keep that from you? You should be really careful Harry…just…remember what happened fifth year."

Harry suddenly felt like Hermione had just punched him in the stomach. How dare she? How dare she try to take this away from him? And to bring up that…to say, "I told you so." in so many words…did she have a point? Was he willing to rush into something headlong even if he wasn't sure it was true?

_But it has to be…_

"I know what I saw." Harry felt stubborn. He didn't have to prove it though. Was he just imagining things?

He dragged behind Hermione, who was helping people find where they needed to go. There weren't many people left.

Harry lifted his eyes and saw Malfoy standing there. He set his mouth in a firm line and marched right past the blonde-haired boy.

_I wished the things I did had an effect on you._

_But I know they don't and that's why it's so hard for us to know each other._

------------------------

She wasn't in his house. Gryffindor had some of the new students but not her. His heart had lifted on the first day when he saw a girl with red hair, but it was only Ginny.

"Hermione says you saw your sister." Ron seemed to know instinctively what was on his mind.

"Is that what she said or did she say that I only _thought _I did?" Harry snapped, because he still felt disappointed.

"Well…" Ron looked like he was thinking very carefully how to proceed. "I think she believes you saw _something_—"

"You didn't see her! If you had, you would believe me!" Harry interrupted defensively.

"It's a little weird!" Ron threw his hands up in the air in defeat. "No one ever said you had a sister! Why are you just discovering it now?"

"Why didn't they tell me about the Prophecy? Why didn't they tell me that Voldemort would try to lure me to the Department of Mysteries? Because they think I'm a little kid!" Harry was really starting to get angry. "Tell Hermione she's acting just like one of _them_."

Then he turned on his heel and stormed out of Gryffindor Tower. Instantly, he regretted yelling at Ron and saying that about Hermione. They were right…they were just being logical. Trying to be his friend. Sometimes he made it difficult for those two things to go hand in hand.

He was hot-headed, like all story book heroes are. Hermione and Ron were always there for him, or they tried to be. But he pushed them away.

_Why?_

_Because…they care about me._

_And I push them away because it scares me._

_Before them…I had no one._

_I promised that if I could have friends, I'd never take them for granted…_

Should he turn around? Walk back? Apologize? Could he say he thought he had imagined it? Could everything disappear, all their troubles, all his swirling emotions, for a perfect moment of peace?

_By the tree they sat under, by the lake. The sound of the water lapping gently against the shore; the sound of leaves rustling the light summer breeze; the very distant sound of other students laughing. And the three of them, lying on their backs, just looking up into endless blue together. _

_The warm sun making them sleepy.  
_

_Their hearts at peace. _

Harry leaned against a windowsill in the long corridor. The windows were open and he looked down at the courtyard.

Students were already running back and forth or gathered in little groups.

And one face was turned upwards, towards his.

Hers.

Staring right back at him. She blinked her brown eyes but didn't break eye contact. A Ravenclaw tie around her neck told him what house she was in.

She didn't smile or nod. She just looked at him.

He had to talk to her. To tell her…to see if such a wonderfully impossible thing had happened to him. Harry turned and bolted down the stairs. It would take him ten minutes to get out there.

What if she left? What if she wandered off? What if she was a mirage—formed in the desert that his heart had become? What if the second he spoke to her, she faded away?

_A ghost._

_A ghost of all the things I've ever wanted._

Then, a hand grabbed the back of his robes. He had been running so frantically that the person got pulled along but not for more than a few steps before the two got tangled up together.

Harry knocked head on the stone floor.

"I'm never doing that again." Ginny was picking herself up next to him. "What were you running like that for? Classes don't start until nine."

"I _know _that." Why'd you grab me? Couldn't you just call out my name like a normal person?" Harry brushed off his robes as he stood up.

"I _did_." Ginny rolled her eyes. "You ignored me."

"I don't have time to talk." Harry suddenly remembered. "I'm sorry, I have to—"

"Don't blow me off because you're mad at _him_." Ginny crossed her arms angrily.

"What? No," Harry shook his head and tried to go but Ginny blocked his way. "It's nothing to do with Draco, I just really have to go."

"So you aren't mad at him?" Ginny inquired.

"No, now move, Ginny!" Harry yelled at her. Ginny's eyes widened in surprise. Harry realized he had never raised his voice to her before. Then her eyes narrowed horribly.

"Don't talk to me like that!" She pulled something out of her robes. "Here's your stupid message and I hope you have a lousy day, you jerk!" And Ginny threw a piece of parchment that pegged him in the middle of his forehead—he had been too surprised to get out of the way—before she stomped off.

"Wait! Ginny!" Harry called after her but she didn't respond. He sighed. Was he so obsessed with a girl he _thought _was his sister that he was willing to alienate all the people around him because of her?

He reached down and picked up the piece of parchment.

_**Meet me in the Armor Corridor at nine p.m.**_

There was no signature but Harry had a grim feeling he knew who it was from. It dawned on him that he might still catch _her _if he ran.

When he got to the courtyard, he looked around him but all he saw was a blur of familiar faces. Not her though. She was gone.

_Stop haunting me…_

_Just appear…as though I conjured you._

Harry thought that if she wasn't here, she was probably in the breakfast hall. He ran in there and carefully scanned the Ravenclaw tables but she wasn't there.

"Looking for someone?" A dreamy voice asked him. Harry nearly jumped when he realized that Luna Lovegood was right at his elbow but quickly recovered. Luna! She was in Ravenclaw! She'd know her name.

"Luna, in your house, have you seen a new student who has red hair and brown eyes?" Harry questioned. Luna considered this question for so long that Harry felt sure he was going to strangle her.

"No." Luna finally shook her head. "Why?"

"Are you sure?" Harry decided that anything could escape Luna's attention—she was always in her own little world.

"Yes. Did you see one? Maybe she was a spirit. There's a kind of spirit that leads young men to their deaths." Luna informed him. "Be cautious. I'm going to go nip a scone." And she sort of dawdled off.

Harry supposed he should go sit down at the Gryffindor table. Ron was busy shoveling eggs into his mouth at such a rate that Hermione looked faintly disgusted. He tried to smile apologetically at Ginny, but she gave him a nasty look before going back to her breakfast.

"Oh." Hermione took notice of him. "Are you still mad?"

"No." Harry admitted. He felt defeated but he was no longer mad at his friends.

"Good. Ron thought you'd be mad the rest of the day but I knew you just needed some time." Hermione smiled cheerfully. "Did you find out who she is yet?"

"No." Harry sighed.

"Hmm." Hermione blew carefully on her tea.

"What?" Harry felt himself get suspicious of Hermione's tone.

"Oh, I've asked some of the other prefects but they didn't know either." Hermione looked nonchalant but Harry saw the question in his eyes. "Although, every time I described how you described her to me, they all asked if I meant Ginny."

"What?" Ginny still looked coldly at Harry, but her curiosity got the better of her.

"Never mind, Ginny." Ron waved his fork at her.

"I hate it when you three are like this." Ginny looked peeved. "It's like a little club and you won't let anyone else in. Well, fine, be immature then." She got up, leaving her toast half-eaten.

Harry watched her go, a little bit of understanding about Ginny seeping into him.

_Do you feel left behind?_

_Do you want what we have?_

_Is that why you went running to Malfoy all summer?  
_

_Because you wanted to belong and not be left out?_

He felt ashamed of himself. The things that made him feel lonely, he had inflicted on another. Ginny, who seemed so strong and free, it wasn't enough for her to have friends. She needed the understanding that they all provided each other. The three understood Hermione's need for knowledge and rules; Ron's need to find himself and stand out from others; and Harry…they understood that he had a hard time not just taking everything upon himself instead of asking for help.

Ginny. What did he need to understand about her?

Her need for acknowledgement. To be appreciated. For nothing to hold her back.

Harry swore that he'd tell her one day what she meant to all of them. If that's what she needed to hear…if it would make her a little happier.

_I wonder if Draco already told her…?_

But first he had to find the mysterious girl who was haunting him.

----------------------

There's a pile of notebooks on the floor next to me. I'm like, "Where's the update for this?" One notebook is already half gone and it's dedicated to a fanfic that hopefully you guys will be seeing soon. (Of course, it's got a lot to do with how long it takes me to finish _Flames_ and this story.) Hope you guys enjoyed this chapter. Please review!


	10. Chapter 10

I don't want to sound like I'm complaining people, but seriously, there's this very fascinating little feature on where I can see the number of hits for my story. Normally I would think, "Hmm, maybe Teresa _is _the only person reading this story." but when I see the number of hits in the triple digits for a certain chapter, I think, "Why the heck won't a few of you leave a review?" I sorta rely on those reviews to float me through these author notes. Answer questions and what not.

Disclaimer: I don't own HP.

Warnings: This story is so odd.

---------------------------

Ghosts

Chapter Ten

---------------------------

He searched all day but no one had seen her or had even a vague idea of who she was. He felt like he was possessed. Where was she? If only he could find her…

Part of him considered going to Dumbledore but he was too stubborn. What if Dumbledore didn't know? What if he laughed? Or decided Harry was too young to know?

_To know family?_

_Maybe they think it'll make me weak…_

_But isn't my ability to love supposed to be my weapon?_

His life had always been complicated and he never had time to just slow down and not worry.

_The summer…_

_Draco and I…_

Harry scowled. That was over now. Who cared? Certainly he had other things on his mind now. But all day, he would reach into his pocket and feel the note. The Armor Corridor.

At fifteen til nine that evening, Hermione was finishing her homework while Ron was busy putting his off. Harry was having trouble concentrating.

"You two are going to get behind _again_ this year." Hermione reprimanded them.

"If you understand this Transfiguration homework then help me." Ron pleaded. Hermione crossed to his side of the table.

"Do you need help too, Harry?" Hermione asked.

"No." Harry started to gather his things together. "I have to go."

"Where are you going?" Ron looked up hopefully.

"Er, I have to meet Malfoy." Harry tried to sound nonchalant but that didn't stop Hermione's eyebrows from shooting up and Ron scowling. "I'm just going to grab my cloak…"

"What does he want to meet you about?" Hermione questioned.

"Dunno." Harry answered lamely. He didn't know, so he didn't understand why he thought that wasn't a real answer.

"I can't believe you're meeting him. Remember the last time he invited us out?" Ron pointed out.

"That was our first year." Harry knew he was going to be late if he didn't get a move on it. "See you guys."

He ran upstairs, grabbed his Invisibility Cloak and went out the portrait hole. The Armor Corridor was on the sixth floor. When he arrived, the torches were burning low. People joked that certain parts of the building were outright ignored when it came to maintenance. It was practically dark.

"Malfoy?" Harry called out softly. No answer. "Draco?"

"I'm right here." Draco stepped out from behind a suit of armor.

"Oh." Harry didn't know what else to say. Grimmauld Place was where they were friends. But here at Hogwarts, what were they? "So…what did you want?"

Draco crossed the room to go stand by a window. With one hand he very slowly pushed it open. He still didn't say a word.

"Did you have a question?" Harry tried but Draco looked so distant. "Do you remember when you challenged me to a duel our first year? Ron thought you might pull the same trick twice." He said it in a jovial tone, hoping Draco would make remark back.

No response.

Harry leaned his weight on one foot and then the other. Why wasn't Draco saying anything?

"Well…I guess…I have a lot of homework so if you don't need anything—" Harry started to back away but Draco suddenly spoke.

"Do I have to have a reason to talk to you?" Draco asked. Harry was a little surprised.

"I guess not." Harry decided slowly. "I just thought it was something specific…"

"It's not." Draco turned to look at him. "Well…I wanted to apologize about the train…"

"Oh. That." Harry felt irritated. He pursed his lips. "I didn't care."

"Then why did you ignore me later?" Draco asked in a knowing tone.

"God, what do you want me to do? Let you walk all over me? Let you treat me however you want?" Harry snapped at him.

"I had to do that." Draco's voice was getting louder. "I told you that you'd hate me but you didn't want to hear it! You wouldn't understand, you don't have to be a villain."

"Neither do you!" Harry retorted. "Don't talk to me like that. Don't just assume I won't understand."

"Oh, now you _get_ me?" Draco rolled his eyes. "How endearingly boring." Harry felt anger beginning to stir deep within him.

_I'm nothing to you._

"I don't understand _you_." Harry marched over to Draco. "Did you call me down here just to get into a fight?"

"I said I wanted to apologize." Draco reiterated. "I don't want you to ignore me." Harry's eyes widened. He felt the anger sort of melt away.

_I don't want to be ignored…_

_Because…we need to be recognized. By everyone. And…_

_Each other._

"I won't." Harry promised. "Or, I'll try not to. You get on my nerves though." He grinned.

"The fact that you breathe annoys me." Draco gave a half smile. Then he gave him a scrutinizing look. "Have you been ignoring Ginny?"

"I wasn't ignoring her, I was trying to catch up with someone and Ginny was sort of in the way…I shouldn't have yelled at her." Harry leaned on the window sill, his back to the night.

"She was rather upset. Especially when she tried to talk to me about it. Pansy Parkinson was right there so I had to tell her to bugger off." Draco appeared apprehensive. "I'll make it up to her."

"Do you…like Ginny?" Harry looked over at him.

"Yes." Draco shrugged. "Although, not in the way I think you mean."

"I meant romantically." Harry clarified.

"No." Draco shook his head. "Why are you asking?"

"I was just curious." Harry felt heat going to his face. He had no idea why he was asking. Why did it matter?

Draco didn't say anything for a little while. Then he sort of fiddled with is hands. "I heard you're looking for someone."

"I am." Harry hesitated. Should he tell Draco about this?

"Who?" Draco inquired.

"It's going to sound ridiculous…no one really believes me…" Harry felt stupid for saying it to Draco. It was easier to say it to Hermione or Ron. "I saw this girl. A transfer. She's in Ravenclaw…I think she's my sister."

"A sister?" Draco's tone was suddenly cool.

"I don't know for sure…but she looks just like the pictures of my mom…except she has my dad's eyes." Harry turned to look out the window. "The opposite of me…heh. Kind of funny really. Every time I see her…she disappears…I was trying to get to her when Ginny stopped me."

"I don't think she's your sister." Draco's tone was harsh. "You're an only child."

"I know that. But what if she was?" Harry questioned.

"Then I wish you all the best." Draco gave a little two-fingered wave and began to turn away. "I'm sure you'll be busy with that…so I won't bother you…" He only took a step before something grabbed his sleeve. It was Harry.

He was looking down, his eyes in shadow. Then he lifted his face so that his eyes met Draco's. "Can't I have both?" His hand twisted so he grip Draco's wrist. "Can't I have her and you?"

"What would you need me for?" Draco asked solemnly. His eyes were averted now. Harry didn't answer. "If you can't answer, then let me go…"

_Can I just let him go? _

_What do I need Draco for? _

_I need…I need…_

Harry let go of Draco's wrist and embraced him. That night, not so long ago, when he woke up, feeling weak…he had needed something right then and Draco had given it to him. And now, Draco needed something. He needed his reassurance.

And then he let go of Draco.

"I'm not letting you go." Harry put his hands inside his pockets. "I'm not letting go of anything."

"You'll have to eventually." Draco's words were like a seed being planted in his mind.

_What will I have to let go of? _

_I can't choose…I can't give up anything…_

_Why would anyone ask me to?_

Harry left the Armor Corridor and put on his Invisibility Cloak, heading towards the Gryffindor common room. His head felt like it was swimming with images and feelings. How could he feel all these things at once? Maybe he'd have to give up one of these new feelings.

But his new feelings were something he wanted to treasure, even if he didn't understand them.

-------------------------

"Harry." Luna Lovegood was waiting for him outside the portrait of the Fat Lady the next morning.

"Yes?" Harry couldn't figure out why she'd be waiting for him.

"Just wanted to answer your question." Luna smiled. "I know you've been thinking about it a lot."

"What?" Harry looked surprised. Could Luna read his mind? Did she know about him and Draco? Luna leaned in and Harry leaned in too, because she looked like she was going to whisper a secret to him.

"Her name is Helen Evans."

----------------------

Doo doo doo. Don't mind me. Just trying to surprise someone into reviewing.


	11. Chapter 11

Jade here. What's happening peeps? That wasn't really a cliffhanger last chapter but I know a few of you are ready to tear out your hair in frustration. So without further ado…

Disclaimer: I don't own HP.

Warnings: More confusion. Some mild language.

--------------------------

Ghosts

Chapter Eleven

-------------------------

"It can't just be a coincidence!" Harry exclaimed as he sat across from Hermione and Ron who were both leaning against a tree. It was after classes and they hadn't really gotten a chance to discuss the latest development in his situation. "Helen _Evans_?"

"Why isn't her last name Potter?" Ron questioned.

"Because…because…" Harry searched desperately for an answer. "Maybe they thought she'd be in more danger…so they gave her my mum's maiden name…"

"Potter's a pretty common last name." Hermione pointed out. "So is Evans. I mean, I suppose someone could have made the connection but still…I'm not sure this really all makes sense."

"Did Luna actually meet her?" Ron still seemed confused. "I mean, if she did, then it was pretty stupid of her not to tell her that you're looking for her…"

"Luna says that she only talked to her for a moment. So she must be real." Harry realized what he said when Hermione and Ron both blinked and gave him odd looks. Had he said that just to confirm that to himself? Helen Evans was real.

_Why wouldn't she be?_

"Okay," Hermione frowned. "Nobody said she wasn't real, Harry."

"I _know_ that." Harry snapped, although his heart wasn't quite in it. "It's just…how come I can't run into her? Why does she always disappear? Does she know who I am? I know she's seen me…"

"Maybe she doesn't want to jump to conclusions." Hermione offered. "She's probably driving herself crazy."

"You're right." Harry felt a little assured. "This castle is huge. I'm sure we'll run into each other any day now."

"I'm glad I don't have any long lost siblings." Ron announced. "Can you imagine if there were more Fred and Georges in the family?"

"It would probably be more exciting during the summer." Ginny's voice made them all look up. She was standing there, apparently having forgiven them, and at her side was Draco, who was trying to appear very apathetic to the whole thing—as though he had merely wandered over because he was bored. "Are you guys talking about Harry's sister?"

"How did you know?" Ron looked amazed.

"Have you met her?" Harry immediately began questioning her. "Where? What did you talk about? Does she think I'm her…?"

"Calm down." Ginny put up her hands. "I've never even seen her. Draco told me."

"He did?" Harry looked at the blonde-haired young man.

"It's my fault. He was asking about some girl in Ravenclaw when I caught up with him." Ginny shrugged. "I forced it out of him."

"You were…helping?" Harry blinked.

"I knew you and yours couldn't possible do it yourselves. So I decided to bestow you with the honor of my help in the matter." Draco tried to look as superior as possible. "I couldn't find out anything about her."

"Her name's Helen Evans." Harry informed him. "Luna told me."

"Lovegood's helping? Well, I don't know why I even bothered when you have such brilliant minds on the case." Draco rolled his eyes. Then he looked at Hermione and Ron. "And you two think she's real?"

"Well…I've never seen her…" Hermione admitted. "But if Harry says he saw her…"

"Ah, loyalty, you should all be Hufflepuffs." Draco commented before clearing his throat. "I'll get out of your hair now…" And he started to walk away.

"No, come sit with us." Hermione suddenly invited him, surprising everyone else in the process.

"Hermione!" Ron hissed.

"Ron, do try and be decent." Hermione gave him a look and although he didn't look happy, he didn't protest any further.

Draco sat down rather warily and Ginny plopped down happily beside him.

"Have you asked Dumbledore about her?" Ginny asked.

"No." Harry sighed. "I'm sure he has better things to do. Besides, why didn't he tell me before?"

"That's something I've been wondering about." Draco ventured. "Dumbledore didn't tell you that you had a sibling, no one else seems to have either…she suddenly shows up and only a few people seemed to have ever spoken to her. There's something a little off about this whole thing."

"Maybe she's more like a cousin." Hermione theorized. "On your mother's side. Her name is Evans…most of the transfer students are from America. Do you know if your mother had family in the States?"

"No one's ever mentioned it." Harry shrugged. "But he has my father's eyes."

"Maybe that's just a coincidence." Ginny ventured. "I'm going to find her though."

"You are?" Ron looked a little skeptical.

"Yeah, I'll get it out of her whether or not she's Harry's sister." Ginny grinned confidently. "You guys always get to play detective, let someone else have a turn."

Harry glanced up at Draco, who was looking right back at him. They glanced away after a moment.

"Isn't there some sort of student registry?" Ron turned towards Hermione.

"I could ask. McGonagall probably knows all the new students." Hermione snapped her fingers. "Why didn't I think of asking _her_?"

"Because every time we see her she's giving us loads of homework." Ron joked and then he got a pained look on his face. "I haven't finished any of her assignments for tomorrow."

"Oh Ron." Hermione groaned. "Come on, let's go do your homework, I'll help."

"I should probably start on mine too." Harry stood up, brushing grass off his robes. "Especially if Hermione's in a good mood and she's helping us…"

"I have things to do." Draco stood up as well. The two boys looked at each other hesitantly. "Well…see you."

"Yeah." Harry nodded and then followed his friends, feeling stupid. Ginny was the last person to leave. She had things to do to, like figure out this Helen Evans and find out once and for all who she was.

--------------------

Hermione couldn't pretend she wasn't skeptical about this whole thing. However, it was important to Harry and she thought she might as well help out. Maybe once they discovered that this girl wasn't really his sister; the whole thing would be put to rest.

_He doesn't want to admit it, but I can tell even he's doubting what he saw…_

_Well, it's time to lay this to rest once and for all._

"Professor?" She entered Professor McGonagall's study. Professor McGonagall looked up.

"Yes, Miss Granger? Did you need anything?" Professor McGonagall inquired. Hermione was well aware of the fact that Professor McGonagall favored her a little more than some of the other students but she had never really exploited it.

"Um, I've lent my Transfiguration book to one of the transfer students but I left a page of notes in there by accident that I need for Potions." Hermione lied quickly. "A girl named Helen Evans…everyone says she's in the Ravenclaw common room. Is there a way you can call her down to your office?"

"Of course." Professor McGonagall opened a scroll of parchment and began quickly scanning down the list of names. "I'm sorry, did you say Helen Evans?"

"Yes." Hermione nodded.

"Are you sure that's her name?" Professor McGonagall inquired.

"Quite sure." Hermione stood on her tiptoes to try to read the list.

"This is a list of all the transfer students." McGonagall handed it to her. "In alphabetical order according to their last names…"

Hermione looked down at the list, specifically to the 'E's.

_Eastre, Evelyn_

_Emeric, Ichabod_

_Ezekiel, George_

"But…she's not on here." Hermione stated slowly and looked up to meet McGonagall's eyes.

"That's why I think you didn't get the correct name." McGonagall began rolling up the piece of parchment. "I didn't recognize it myself and I take pride in learning all the students' names.

"Helen Evans doesn't go to this school."

Hermione whirled around and rushed out the door. McGonagall called after her but she didn't stop to explain. She had to find Harry immediately.

------------------------

Harry was walking back from the library, where he'd just been grabbing some extra books for his essay in Transfiguration. Ron was waiting for him to get back and Hermione said she was off to ask McGonagall about Helen Evans.

He was almost too excited to speak. Even if she was only some cousin, that would be great too. But he knew it. He knew deep inside himself that Helen Evans was his sister.

Something made him glance over.

On the opposite end of the corridor he'd been walking past, she was standing there. Helen Evans, looking at him with that same expression. Slightly surprised and unsure. Harry turned suddenly and started to run down the corridor after her. For a moment, she just stood there.

Then she suddenly walked down the hall, disappearing from sight.

"Wait!" He called after her, running as fast as he could. "Wait! Helen!"

When he rounded the corner, he saw her disappear up a flight of stairs.

"Helen!" But she didn't stop. He chased up the stairs after her and she kept disappearing behind yet another corridor, even though he could have sworn that she wasn't running.

Finally, he rounded a corner and she was just standing there, her back turned away from him. She'd just stopped in front of a window.

Harry couldn't help himself; he rushed over and hugged her, burying his face in her hair. She was a little shorter than him. But he'd caught her. He'd caught his sister. She stiffened immediately.

"Stop running away from me." He pleaded with her in a whisper. "Are you scared? What are you scared of? I'll protect you. I promise. Just talk to me."

There was a moment of silence and she didn't relax at all in his embrace.

"H-Harry?" A tentative whisper. Except that he knew this voice. He pulled away.

She turned around and he knew now that it wasn't her. It was Ginny. She looked confused.

"Harry?" She took a step towards him and he backed away, feeling horrified with himself.

"I thought…I thought…" Harry looked all around but he didn't see any sign of his sister. "I was following her and then I thought it was…"

"You thought I was her? Your sister you mean?" Ginny tilted her head to one side but she looked worried. "Harry, you look…weird. Are you okay?"

"I…I don't know." Harry began to feel dizzy. "She was just here."

"No one's been up here this whole time. I've been waiting for Luna." Ginny shrugged. "We were going to study Potions together."

"But she was just here! I saw her!" Harry insisted.

"Look, Harry, just calm down, okay?" Ginny started to reach towards him but he batted her hand away.

"I don't want…just…what's going on? Why can't I find her?" Harry felt like crying. "Why is she avoiding me? She was here…she was here…"

"Harry, I'm the only one here." Ginny's voice was calm but he could tell her mind was going a million miles a minute. She thought he was crazy. He could just hear it in her voice.

"I'm not crazy!" Harry insisted, backing further away.

"Harry!" Ginny's voice called out in warning but it was too late. He'd taken another step back but had forgotten there was a staircase behind him. He stumbled backwards and fell down the stairs.

When he hit the bottom, his head made a sickening cracking noise when it hit the stone landing. Ginny screamed but as the blood flowed out of his head, all he could think about was the mirage of his sister and why he could never seem to catch it.

_Where are you…Helen?_

_I think…I'm dying…_

_If you're a ghost, I want to be a ghost too…_

The world went dark for Harry, just like the night fall at the end of a very long day.

------------------

What's going to happen next? I can't really say. I'm sure some of you are probably a little bit confused but that's okay. Just take it all in stride. Fun fact time! Ichabod Emeric and Ezekiel George are original characters of mine! No, they won't actually be making an appearance in this story or anything, they're just from novels I'm writing. Fun facts…so yeah, tune in next time. I think it'll be interesting. Please review!


	12. Chapter 12

Woot. It's time for a new chapter. Let me hear it from my peeps! Woooo! Anyways, I'm glad everyone's enjoying this story. I enjoy this story as well. Let us all enjoy together, shall we?

Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter.

Warnings: Some mild swearing and violence.

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Ghosts

Chapter Twelve

--------------------------

"Don't wake him up!"

"I think he's waking up by himself."

"Well, you don't need to poke him."

"It was horrible…there was so much blood…I really thought he was dead."

"Ron!"

"What?"

"Those are for Harry!"

"I'm only eating one!"

Harry's eyes slowly opened. The light made his eyes hurt but the people around his bed all went silent. His head throbbed as he sat up.

"Don't sit up!" Hermione rushed over, but helped him rearrange his pillows so that he could sit up anyways. "You had a really bad fall, Harry."

He glanced around. There she was, her lips pursed, as she went about pouring him a glass of water. Ron was standing there, trying to quickly chew and swallow a Chocolate Frog, looking apologetically at him. Ginny was next to him, concern etched on her foot. No one else was there.

"What happened?" Harry could only vaguely remember. He saw flashes of red hair and then maybe…Ginny? And blood.

"You fell down the stairs." Ginny explained. "You kept moving backwards and then I tried to warn you but you…you fell."

"That's right." Harry nodded slowly. "I was…chasing her. And then I saw you, but from the back, so I thought it was her. Sorry."

"It's okay." Ginny's cheeks went a shade of pink. "It was really awful though, when I saw you fall…why didn't I think faster? I could have bewitched you to be feather light or…or something…"

"Ginny, no one's blaming you." Hermione assured her. "Everybody loses their head at some point in their life. The important thing was that you stopped the bleeding."

"Lucky for you that Professor Sinistra walked by." Ron pointed out to Harry. "She got you down here fairly quickly and Madam Pomfrey patched you up. She said you'd need to stay in the hospital wing for a few days."

"A few days?" Harry moaned. "But I need to find Helen."

Ron, Ginny, and Hermione all shared a look that Harry immediately didn't like. None of them would look at him. Why did they look like they had more bad news?

"Harry…" Hermione began gently. "I wasn't going to tell you right away…you just had a bad accident…I…"

"What?" Harry looked at them. "What is it? Is Helen okay?"

"Um, well," Hermione hesitated. "The thing is, Harry…Helen Evans isn't a student."

"What are you talking about? She was wearing a school uniform and everything." Harry couldn't stand the way they were all looking at each other. Like he was something fragile and they couldn't stand to risk breaking it.

_Just tell me!  
_

_Don't hide it from me! Just tell me…_

"She isn't a student at Hogwarts. She's not on the list of transfers and McGonagall said that there was no Helen Evans at this school. She had no idea who I was talking about." Hermione finished, looking like she was in pain just having to say it.

"So?" Harry felt himself getting angry. "She's real. I saw her."

"No one else has—" Hermione began but he cut her off.

"Luna Lovegood saw her! She even spoke to her!" Harry insisted. "Obviously there were just some mistakes with that list and there's no way that McGonagall could possibly remember everyone's name!"

"Harry…" Ginny went around to his other side. "You thought you saw her and then you thought I was her…I think…I think something's really wrong."

"Ron, do you think I made her up too?" Harry asked his best friend. Ron looked from Harry to Hermione and back.

"I don't know." Ron looked really uncomfortable. "She could be real. Maybe you're right. Lovegood talked to her, right? It's a big school…I don't reckon McGonagall knows everyone's name either."

"See?" Harry turned towards Hermione.

"Harry, listen to me for a moment," Hermione ignored Ron. "There's something going on here, something bad. I don't know what it is but I think you should be really careful, I don't think you should look for Helen anymore."

"You don't think she's real so why does it matter?" Harry questioned in a venomous tone.

"Because you're obsessed!" Hermione burst out with and Harry's eyes widened. It was true. He was obsessed. But how could she just say it like that? "Look what happened to you! You were so set on her that you fell down a flight of stairs! If Ginny hadn't been there, you would have _died_!"

"If Ginny hadn't been there it would have been _her_!" Harry's voice was rising. "It could have been her! You think I'm crazy, don't you, Hermione? You really think I've lost it this time? I know what I saw! I had an accident but that could have happened to anyone! So I made a fool out of myself thinking I was talking to her…that doesn't mean anything!"

"Ginny says you were acting really odd…" Hermione tried to point out.

"She's just mad because I wasn't saying those things to her!" Harry countered. Ginny gasped and he winced. He didn't dare turn and look at her. Who cared? Who cared who was hurt? He was hurt…he hurt so bad…the idea that his sister wasn't real…why was the world against him having family? Was it just too much to ask to be happy?

"I hate you."

Ginny ran out of the hospital wing and Harry just ignored the overwhelming wave of guilt. She had been trying to help. She was his friend. And now he was destroying his friendships one by one.

"Harry…how could you say that to Ginny?" Hermione's voice was soft but Harry couldn't take it. He picked up the glass of water from his bed and threw it at the ground as hard he could. Hermione and Ron both jumped back.

"GET OUT! BOTH OF YOU!" Harry yelled at them. Hermione looked near tears and Ron was just staring at his best friend as though he'd never seen him before in his life. "You're supposed to believe me! You're supposed to be my friends…you're supposed to…"

_There he was, so young, walking home from school, passing a park and stopping to stare through the fence for a moment at the children playing together. _

_I want that. _

_I want to have friends…no one will be friends with me…_

_If I had friends…_

_Nothing would be bad._

_You're supposed to make everything better…I'm supposed to be happy…_

_Why is everything so wrong?_

_Lying in the grass, the shade shielding them from the bright sunshine, and the cool breeze that drifted with all the smells of summer. The three of them, together. _

_That's all I really wanted. Now I'm pushing them away. I don't want them near me…_

_Because then they might…they might know everything about me. Only the people close to you can really hurt you. Will you leave me? Will you reject me? Why am I rejecting you, when I know how much it hurts?  
_

"I want to believe you…" A tear roll down Hermione's cheek. "But you're making it so hard…" And then she ran out of the hospital wing. Ron stood there for a moment, unsurely.

"She's just worried about you, mate." Ron looked at his feet. "I'll come back…when you're feeling better." He quietly walked out and Madam Pomfrey came storming in.

"Broken glass! Shouting! My patients need care!" She began cleaning the glass with her wand.

Harry rolled over onto his bed. Why did he do that? Why did he shout at them? Why did he make Hermione cry? He felt so unlike himself. Ginny would probably never forgive him. Ron didn't know what to do…he hated himself right then. Harry couldn't figure out why he was acting this way.

_The only person I haven't thrown away is Draco._

Draco hadn't been there though. Hadn't been there to visit him. Well who cared?

_Why wasn't Helen here when I woke up? Didn't she hear I was injured?_

_Doesn't she care?_

_Look how much I've given up for her…look who I've hurt in my search for her…_

_Doesn't it mean anything to her?_

----------------------

He woke up again. It was the dead of night. He was shivering cold. Harry sat up but no one else was there. The windows were wide open across the room. He got up and tiptoed over, the floor freezing his feet with each step.

Just as he reached the window, he heard a voice. He couldn't make out what it was saying, but it sounded like it was coming from outside. Harry looked out the window and saw her.

There she was. Helen Evans, standing there, looking up at him. Her clothes and hair were being rustled by the wind. What kind of hallucination gets ruffled by the wind?

"Helen." He called down to her. She just looked up at him and then, she smiled. "Helen!"

She opened her mouth and he thought she was going to say something, but she didn't. She closed it and looked down, as though she wasn't sure what to say.

"I'll be down there in a minute! Just wait for me!" Harry exclaimed before racing out of the hospital wing and down the hall. He was running as fast as he could, not carrying that he was in his pajamas without shoes or a coat. What did it matter? Helen was waiting for him outside.

He burst through a side door and ran around to where he knew the windows faced but she wasn't there. His feet were wet with dew and the bottoms of his pajama pants were soaked but he looked all around.

"Helen!" He called out. "Helen! I'm right here! Come back! Helen!"

Nothing. It was silent. The wind was blowing. He was cold. He should go back inside, he felt dizzy, but he couldn't bring himself to move in that direction.

Then he distantly heard a voice. He ran towards it. He couldn't tell what the voice was saying, but there was a voice, it was trying to speak to him. _She _was trying to speak to him.

By the lake. That's where she was. She was by the lake. He'd find her. Her voice. He ran up to the water's edge, but she wasn't there. He looked over at the pier, and there she was, standing on the end of it, looking out, over the water.

When he'd finally caught up with her, he stopped a few feet short of her. Slowly, very slowly, she turned.

Helen smiled again, but this time it was a mischievous smile. She wasn't wearing her robes, just her uniform. She beckoned with her head before jumping off the end of the pier. There was a splash and Harry ran to the edge of the pier. She didn't resurface.

"Helen?" Harry inquired tentatively. He realized that she might have gotten tangled in some kind of rope or something, she could be drowning. She could be dying and he wasn't doing anything to save her.

He dove in and began swimming in circles. The lake water was so cold it shocked his system. His head began to swim as all his running finally began to catch up with him. A weakness spread through his body and he felt unable to swim anymore. He was too far from shore though…

_Helen…Helen…where are you?_

_I'm coming for you…_

_I promise, I'll save you._

He sank beneath the water and saw only darkness all around. It was so strangely quiet and peaceful under the water. He let all of the air out and knew that when he took a breath in, his lungs would fill with water.

_Helen…let me come with you…_

The water came in. He was choking, he couldn't breathe. That was okay. Helen wouldn't let him die.

What seemed like only moments later, he was vaguely aware of someone's mouth covering his own, blowing air into his body, and then he suddenly sat up and spit up water. He was choking for air, his lungs greedily trying to take as much as they could manage.

For a few moments his breathing was panicked but then it calmed down. He looked over to see Hermione sitting there, her eyes filled with tears, and she was soaking wet.

"Harry? Are you okay?" She asked him.

"Helen's in the water!" Harry suddenly tried to get up but Hermione stopped him. "No, she dove in but she didn't come back up!"

"Harry," Hermione's voice caught. "Harry, you almost died. You almost drowned in the lake. If Madame Pomfrey hadn't woken me up to tell me you were missing from bed and I hadn't thought of looking outside…"

"Miss Granger!" Professor McGonagall came running up to them. "You found him!"

"He…he was wandering the grounds. He saw a student fall into the lake and not come back up, he tried to save her." Hermione told McGonagall, briefly catching Harry's eye. "She might still be in the lake." Hermione added quickly.

"Good lord," McGonagall murmured before holding her wand above her head and shooting off something like a flare. "Get Potter inside, you'll both freeze to death out there."

As teachers came out of the castle on all sides to help McGonagall, Hermione and Harry ducked back into the building.

"Thanks." Harry smiled gratefully at her. "Thanks for everything, Hermione."

"Don't thank me like that." She turned with a little smile and they stopped for a moment to face each other in the hall. "Like there's going to be nothing else I can do for you. I'll always be here and you'll always be here to thank me…right?"

"Earlier…I was horrible to you and Ginny." Harry looked up at her as he fiddled with his own hands. "I wanted you to know, Hermione that I…I didn't mean to be. At least, I just wanted you to believe me…we're friends and well, before Hogwarts I didn't have any friends…I always thought that the second I had them, I wouldn't have to feel sad again…"

"That you wouldn't feel so alone?" Hermione guessed and when Harry gave a very small nod, she threw her arms around him and he caught her in a hug. "Oh, Harry!" Her voice was thick with tears. "Before Hogwarts, other kids _hated _me and I never thought things could be different…Sometimes I still think that you and Ron are going to realize what a bother I am…I want to believe you, Harry, I'm trying really hard, honest…"

"It's okay." Harry patted her back. "I'm beginning to think that Helen's…I don't know…but Hermione, by now you should know that Ron and I wouldn't know what do without you. Especially Ron." Hermione pulled away, sniffing and trying to dry her face with her soaking wet sleeves.

"I'm sorry for being such a sop." Hermione smiled even though her crying hadn't quite cleared up. "Oh! Bother! Let's get you back to the hospital wing. I wish I had my wand with me to dry us off! We'll just have to use yours…"

When they got back though, Draco was sitting on the end of Harry's bed. He looked up at them but turned away quickly. Hermione used Harry's wand to do a drying off spell so that in a moment, the two of them were no longer soaking wet.

"Well…" Harry looked from Draco to Hermione.

"I better get back up to bed—though I might sneak into the boys' dormitory to tell Ron what happened." Hermione quickly excused herself.

"I heard you were injured." Draco spoke as soon as Hermione was gone. "Ginny sent me an owl—I think she snuck out to do it."

"Decent of you to show up." Harry started to get into bed.

"That's all you're going to say?" Draco couldn't contain the question.

"There's lots of things I want to say to you but I don't think I have the courage to." Harry was sitting up in his bed. They stared at each other, searching the other's face for something.

"Like what?" Draco demanded to know.

"I thought you'd be here earlier…when I woke up earlier, Ron, Hermione, and Ginny were here, but not you." Harry told him. "I wanted you here…although all I did was yell at them. But I still wished you'd been there…worried about me. I'm sure you don't care, you haven't even asked why Hermione and I came in here just now, dripping wet…"

"It's exhausting thinking about you all the time." Draco fell backwards unto the bed so his head was right against Harry's right knee and his body was on part of Harry's lower leg. "Well, why were you and Granger wandering about looking like drowned rats?"

"I woke up and Helen was outside my window…I went outside and followed her into the lake." Harry spoke bluntly. "She never came back up, that's why I went in after her. Hermione says that Helen Evans doesn't go to this school…they all think I keep getting hurt because of her…they think she's in my head."

"What do you think?" Draco asked.

"I'm not sure…I know I've seen her and so has Lovegood—she's even spoken to her." Harry felt his fears and doubts beginning to surface. "What _if _she isn't real and I don't have any family? I have friends and they're always there for me…but there are some things that Ron and Hermione can't do. I have nightmares…sometimes you want someone to hold you…like you did." Harry faltered. "I'm sorry, I don't mean to be dumb."

"I want you…?" Draco sat up, turning so he was facing Harry. "Me?"

There was a moment of tense silence and the two of them didn't move at all, their eyes seemed to be having a conversation without words.

Both of them leaned forward at the same time and their mouths met.

They pulled away from each other and both of them looked scared. But their fear only stopped them for a moment before a frenzy overtook them.

Harry couldn't stop kissing him now that he'd done it once. It was like a flood gate had been opened and water was pouring forth. They fell over together still kissing like they only had a short time. Sweet, little kisses.

And then their mouths finally caught each other again and their tongues touched. Their heads were roving over each other's bodies. Draco's hands slipped under Harry's pajama shirt and were moving upwards when the door to the hospital wind suddenly opened and Draco fell out of bed in a panic and rolled under it.

"Mr. Potter, are you awake?" Madam Pomfrey asked. Harry let out a loud, fake snore. "At least he's getting some rest…trying to save a student from drowning in _his _condition, things were different when Madam Azalea was in charge of the hospital…" And then she puttered back out.

"Crazy bat." Draco stated loudly from under the bed.

Harry laughed feebly. Then he glanced over. "Um…are you going to stay down there all night?"

"It's actually surprisingly comfortable." Draco commented cheerfully. "I should probably go back to bed." He crawled out from under the bed and stood up.

"Stay." Harry didn't want him to just leave, it didn't seem right. "I…don't want to be alone."

Draco seemed to consider this and then slid into bed next to Harry. The bed was narrow so their legs were intertwined and their arms were wrapped around each other.

"I don't want to be alone either…" Draco's eyes slowly closed. "You're never alone…but I am…"

"I can't be happy without you." Harry pulled Draco closer to him.

"You're a greedy berk." Draco muttered. Harry's eyes closed and he thought that he wouldn't mind if the night never ended.

---------------------

Um. Okay. Hmm…there were like two re-writes of the last scene—the first one was a _ton _of talking but I was like, "A little less conversation, a little more action." Like a lot of talking—sometimes I'll sit there and write out dialogue and then be like, "This conversation is way too long." Only two more chapters to go…so weird. Well, please review!


	13. Chapter 13

Back to Ghosts. You either love it, hate it, or are just confused by it but love that HP/DM slash. (Hint: So do _I_.) What's going to happen? What's up with all this confusing stuff? Stay tuned…

Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter.

Warnings: Crazy beats. Crazy, crazy beats.

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Ghosts

Chapter Thirteen

----------------------

When he woke up again, he suspected it was late in the day. The sun was shining through the windows in the way it only does in the afternoon. He sat up suddenly and looked all around but there was no sign of Draco, not even a note.

He felt strangely empty. He'd made up with Hermione; Ron hadn't really been mad at him, but didn't approve of him lashing out at Hermione. Ginny probably wasn't ready to accept an apology.

Draco, he could still feel where the other boy had touched him with a sensation that suggested there was a strange, happy weight on his chest.

And Helen.

Had Helen drowned? Why had she tried to lure him into the lake in the first place? He had the strangest feeling she didn't drown. Wasn't there any way he could help her?

Was his drive to save the last, to his knowledge, member of his family so strong because he'd never been able to help any of the others. He thought of Sirius and wondered what he'd have to say about all this. Another person he'd failed.

_I wish you were here…_

That's when McGonagall came in, pushing Ginny Weasley with one hand. Ginny was holding her own hand, which she was careful not to jostle.

McGonagall sat her down on the bed next to Harry.

"Miss, Weasley, fighting will _not _be tolerated." McGonagall gave her a stern look. "I don't care what happened or what was said, there was no reason for you to break Parkinson's nose. You'll have to wait here—Pomfrey's still fixing Parkinson up." She started to leave but noticed Harry. "Oh, Potter, about last night…"

"Yeah?" Harry looked up eagerly.

"We couldn't find the student you tried to save." McGonagall was regarding him with a studious expression. "We know no one drowned in the lake and no one was found on the grounds…we assume that whoever it was got back to the castle…which student was it?"

"Er, no one." Harry's gaze dropped to his hands. "I mean, a Ravenclaw."

"A Ravenclaw?" McGonagall's tone was thoughtful and she seemed preoccupied for a moment. "Well, I'll double check with the Head of House to make sure everyone's okay." Then, with one last long look at Harry, she left.

Harry glanced over at Ginny who was glowering at her broken hand as though it had insulted her.

"You broke Parkinson's nose?" Harry tried conversationally.

"And I gave her a black eye." Ginny looked up. "She was pissing me off."

"What did she do?" Harry asked hesitantly.

"Gaaah." Ginny moaned. "Why do you care?"

"Because I'm pretty sure it's _my _nose you really wanted to break." Harry tried to joke but Ginny didn't look amused and so he quickly fell silent.

"I still want to." Ginny muttered darkly. "It didn't have anything to do with you. She was shooting her mouth off about Draco."

"What was she saying?" Harry inquired.

"I don't really want to talk to you. Don't pretend like nothing happened." Ginny's eyes narrowed. "That may work with Hermione and Ron but it doesn't work that way for me."

"Ginny…I was…" Harry closed his eyes. How could he say something like that to her? He'd found the weakest point and attacked. "I'm really sorry."

"You're just apologizing because I'm Ron's little sister—that's all I'll ever be to you guys…" Ginny scowled. "I'm not Ginny."

"That's why you like Draco so much." Harry realized. "Because to him you're Ginny. I didn't realize you felt like that. Or maybe…maybe I did. I don't know. The reason I was apologizing was because I don't want to make you sad. I wasn't thinking. But now…I am…er…" Harry felt tongue-tied and awkward. "Ginny, I need you too."

"You do?" Ginny looked skeptical but there was something soft about her eyes.

"Yes…because you're my friend." Harry told her. "When I describe Helen, everyone asks if I'm talking about you…if I had a sister, I'd want her to be like you. Maybe I wished you were and that's why Helen's here."

"Harry…" Ginny was still holding her broken hand but she looked like she wanted to hug him. "Pansy said that Draco was still working for Voldemort—that they'd staged everything and that Nott isn't really dead. I couldn't stand it…Draco hasn't lied to me. I'd know."

"Why would she say that?" Harry felt a horribly gnawing in his heart.

_"You don't have to be a villain."_

_You aren't a villain…you don't have to be._

_You lied to them…_

_Nott's dead…I remember the look in your eyes…you've lost someone too. Just like me._

"She was talking to one of the other Slytherins because no one could find Draco last night and there were rumors he visited you." Ginny explained. "He did, didn't he?"

"Yes." Harry nodded. Then he gave her an unsure look. "Um…Ginny, how do you feel about Draco?"

"He's in love with you." Ginny didn't even blink when she said it out loud. She saw the look on Harry's face. "You really didn't know?"

Harry hung his head.

_You love me? _

_Why won't you say it?  
_

_Because…you're scared?  
_

_Are you scared of me?_

_Why? _

Harry took off, rushing out the doors and right past Madame Pomfrey, who called out his name but he ignored her.

Where was he going? He wasn't sure. He just knew what he was looking for. He turned another corner, it was a corridor full of students whom he ducked and weaved through.

"Harry!" It was Hermione but ignored her as well. And there was Draco, talking to someone. Harry stopped dead in his tracks when he saw who.

Helen Evans looked at him and Draco turned towards him. She blinked a couple of times and then dropped a small curtsey before taking off.

_Are you real?_

_Were you…together?  
_

_Draco…what does all of this mean?_

_Will you disappear like she does?_

Draco started to turn away, as though he were going to leave too. Would Harry have to chase after him? Never catching him.

Harry practically fell forward, reaching for Draco, who caught him.

"Harry!" Hermione was right there.

"Don't leave me…don't run away…" Harry felt weird and feverish. "Don't leave me too…I don't care. I don't care if you're a villain or if you're a ghost or if you lied…it doesn't matter! I just don't want you to disappear!" He clung to Draco, burying his face in the blonde boy's shoulder. Draco's body was stiff with surprise.

Harry felt his head swimming and he was suddenly much too warm. He staggered back a few steps and then collapsed amid a flurry of voices.

---------------------------

He was shivering cold, which made him wake up. His blankets were gone; he was sleeping on a bare mattress. Harry slowly began to pick himself up when he realized someone else was there.

Helen Evans.

She smiled.

But when he got up, she took a step backwards and knew that if he continued to move, she would move away.

"Helen." He stood up anyways. "Don't run away."

The wordless speaking began. It was like listening to someone talking in a nearby room. Muffled and words could barely be picked out.

"Helen!" Harry went forward and she went out the doors. He could hear the speechless talking as he left the hospital wing and it was leading away and going upwards.

He followed, not at a fast pace, but a slow, almost robotic one. It was like being in a dream. Logic told him to run, but he couldn't make himself do so.

As he climbed higher, his heart began to beat with anticipation. What was waiting for him? Why was she leading him somewhere?

It seemed like he'd been walking forever when he came to the final door. She was waiting on the other side. He pulled the door open and cold air rushed in.

It was the roof.

And Helen _was_ there.

She was standing on a ledge, the wind blowing her hair and uniform. She turned towards him and held out her arms towards him. Warm, loving arms.

Harry started forward and she didn't disappear. She was right there. He'd found her. Everything was going to come together and make sense.

She was right there, he could almost touch her…he stretched out his arms.

Suddenly, horribly, a Death Eater was behind her on a broom, and he grabbed her around the waist, and flew off, Helen still reaching towards Harry.

"Helen!" Harry called her name. "Helen!" He looked around wildly; there was a broom. Without thinking, without allies, without knowing where it would lead him, he grabbed the broom and flew after the Death Eater.

_I won't let them take you away, Helen._

_You're not a ghost…_

_And if you are, you can have my life. _

------------------

Weird. Weird. More weird. Huh. Well, sure. At this point I've completely given up on "Plot A" (the original) and have graduated to Angst fest or "Plot B". The exciting (?) conclusion of this story will be here next time! That's right, no more Ghosts…which is okay, because most of you just want to know what the hell is going on. (Don't we all?) Please read and review!


	14. Chapter 14

It's that time. Time to say good-bye! Well, at least to _Ghosts_. That's right, this chapter that stands before you is the final chapter. That's okay, but you still have that one last time…

Thank You's: Hmm…who to thank? A lot of fanfiction authors! This story was an experiment in taking over used plot lines and making them…well, something new. Draco suddenly showing up on Harry's doorstep; Harry has a sister; I can't sleep either; and a couple of others. I want to thank the fans who loyally stood by the story…even when it got questionable. I don't want to write the same story over and over again and that's led to this fanfic's creation. I have to thank Teresa who made the best skeptical face about the Helen Evans storyline. It was a challenge. A throw down. And I can't resist a challenge…

Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter.

Warnings: Weirdness.

------------------------

Ghosts

Chapter Fourteen

------------------------

An abandoned mansion. Harry didn't recognize it, it wasn't the Riddle mansion he remembered from his fourth year, but he knew that she'd been taken inside. He quickly touched down and pulled out his wand.

Strangely though, no one tried to attack him. He snuck over to the door and opened it very slowly.

Nothing. No guards.

What was with this place? Harry went inside but still saw nothing. There was some torches dimly lit up ahead and he could hear noises. His bare feet barely noted the cold stone that he was walking along.

Another door, but this one seemed far more ominous. Whatever was behind here, he knew he wasn't going to like.

He slowly opened this door as well, but there was someone there. Someone who greeted him eagerly.

"Harry Potter." A voice hissed. "I've been waiting for you."

Harry entered the room, his wand at the ready, and saw that directly in front of him were a flight of stairs going down. Below him was two things covered with black curtains. They were rectangular and Harry immediately didn't like them.

There was another flight of stairs leading up on the other end of the room and there was Voldemort, who looked too pleased for words.

"Where is she?" Harry asked.

"Don't you mean 'they'?" Voldemort taunted him. "I'm so glad you asked. You see, I have a little show I didn't want you to miss. A little game if you will."

"What game? And what do you mean 'they'?" Harry's eyes narrowed.

"You didn't realize the other one was missing, did you?" Voldemort's eyes gleamed with something like happiness. "This makes it so much better." He raised his wand and with a small flick, both the curtains fell off.

There were two rectangular glass boxes, that looked like they had some sort of horrible purpose because they were held up off the ground by dark, twisted metal. In one was Helen Evans, who was looking at him with her wide-eyed, almost frightened expression. And the other one.

The other one was Draco.

He began hitting the glass with his fists. He was obviously trying to yell at Harry but no sound could escape the boxes. Helen put both her hands on the glass in front of her and began to try and say something urgently to Harry as well.

"Do you know what these spectacular boxes are for?" Voldemort asked. "No, I'm sure you don't. Let me explain. They kill instantly. It's Dark Magic, the kind you and your kind deny. But I'm going to be very generous. The only way to crack the boxes is with a silver axe. You'll notice one on the wall next to you."

Harry looked over at it.

"Of course, not so generous, you've been a hindrance to me since day one." Voldemort frowned. "You can save _one of them._"

"What do you mean?" Harry looked at the two people before him.

"You can save one of them." Voldemort was clearly enjoying himself now. "You get to choose which one lives and which one dies. As soon as you save one, I'll activate the other box and kill whichever one you didn't choose."

Harry wondered if Draco and Helen could hear what Voldemort was saying. Helen continued to move her mouth urgently and Draco was pounding even harder on the glass.

"Choose." Voldemort laughed.

"I can't." Harry looked at the two.

_No, don't make me choose._

_Don't make me choose. _

"What a pity." Voldemort murmured. "See how love makes you weak? So who's love makes you weaker?"

Harry looked at Draco, who was clearly calling out his name and he thought trying to tell him something else. Helen's mouth kept moving.

Moving.

Opening and closing.

Harry realized that while Draco was clearly saying something…she wasn't forming any words with her mouth. She wasn't really talking. And he thought about the times she'd spoken before, but hadn't really.

_Are you real?_

_I've never held you. _

_I've held Draco. _

_What do I do? _

_What if you are real? What if I throw away my only sister? _

_What if I throw away Draco? _

_I can't…I can't…I have to save them both…but how? _

_I said I'd give you my life, Helen. So that you could live. But…_

_What if you're just an empty dream? The ghost of what I wanted? _

_"I don't want you to ignore me." _

_How can I leave you behind, Draco? _

_"He's in love with you." _

Harry shut his eyes for a moment and then without a word, he grabbed the axe off the wall and rushed down the stairs. He took it and smashed the glass box with all his might. As soon as he did, Voldemort muttered an incantation, activating the second box. Harry had rushed to catch the one he'd saved.

He turned though, just in time to see Helen Evans staring at him from her glass box and then she disappeared in a flash.

Harry realized that tears were streaming down his face, even as he held onto Draco, who was having trouble standing.

_I couldn't save you…I thought I could…_

_But…_

"You saved me." Draco looked up at him. "I thought you were going to save her…did you figure out she wasn't real?"

"What?" Harry looked down. "She wasn't?"

"No, she wasn't." Draco shook his head. "You still thought she was real and you saved me?"

"I love you…" Harry told him.

"And now you're both about to die." Voldemort reminded him of his presence. "You saw through my illusion…I wasn't expecting that."

"She was your illusion?" Harry clenched his teeth. Draco's arm was looped around his neck and the two boys stood. "You did all that? Haven't you done enough, you sick bastard?" He held up his wand.

"I think there's only one person who's about to die. And that's you." Draco held up his wand as well. The two boys gave each other one last look before going into battle with Voldemort.

----------------------------

Hermione couldn't imagine a busier year. The N.E.W.T.'s were over. Voldemort was dead. The Wizarding world was waiting for them all with open arms. They'd be leaving Hogwarts. She felt herself growing miserable as she realized that the place where she'd finally felt she had friends was going to be left behind.

"Hermione?" Ron was behind her as she looked out the window. "We're all waiting by the lake. Are you coming?"

"In a minute." Hermione remembered that they were going to go out and have a picnic. One last get together before they all had to leave and become adults with careers and only see each other around holidays…

"Are you sad?" Ron asked as he went to stand next to her. "Because you're leaving?"

"A little." Hermione looked down, thinking fondly of all the memories they'd shared together. "Do you think you'll visit me this summer?"

"Yeah." Ron nodded. "Although…er…"

"What?" Hermione asked.

"Well, I was thinking…I'm kind of used to living with other people." Ron went red in the face. "And I didn't want to live alone and well, I could probably live with a lot of other people but I…um…thought…well, we are older now and…I'd understand…but I'd like to like to live with other people…as in you."

"You…want to live with me?" Hermione was pretty sure her heart skipped a beat.

"What I was actually thinking was…" Ron was blushing so deeply that when he reached into his pocket, Hermione could feel hear her heart beating in her ears. "Maybe…" And he put a little box on the windowsill.

Hermione took one look at it and knocked him over in her enthusiasm to kiss him.

--------------------------

Ginny watched Draco and Harry. They were talking together as they began setting out the stuff for the picnic. The final battle had taken place when no one was expecting it. They'd defeated Voldemort once and for all.

Everyone had a million questions for them and bit by bit, everything began to come together. Helen Evans was an elaborate illusion that Voldemort had used Dark Magic to create. The construct he'd put together could cloud people's minds and make them do whatever they wanted. The illusion had caused Luna Lovegood and Draco Malfoy to feel as though they'd spoken to her. Harry recalled how he'd kept following her and hearing her wordless speech. She'd had probably been created to lure him to his death until Voldemort got reports from this construct who'd told him about Harry and Draco.

The two boys hadn't really recounted how they'd killed Voldemort, Ginny just knew they did it together. Watching them together made her feel a little sad. Both boys she felt like she could have fallen in love with herself…and she didn't have anyone. Ron and Hermione were now coming and if the way they were holding hands was any indication, she knew they were finally together.

Harry didn't have the haunted look that he normally had. Instead, he looked like he was looking forward to having some peace for a little while.

"Come on, Ginny, we can't have this picnic without you." Harry called her over. Ginny grinned and ran along to sit on the blanket with the others.

Harry looked around at this friends and Draco and realized that while he was looking at an illusion as family, he never understood the truth of the matter:

That this was his real family.

------------------------

WOO! The end! That's right! Ghosts is finished! I know you're all sad and even I'm a little sad but…this means that I get to start a brand new fanfic! A fantastic new epic that I called '**There Shall Be No Night**'. This is the summary: AU. Briedland, a country locked in a state of terror. The Realm of Faerie, a world coming undone. In order to save both, a young man wrongfully arrested as a terrorist must overcome all odds and embrace his destiny. It's gonna be really, really good. Sooooo good. So much planning though. The largest wall in an apartment has a four hundred year timeline for this fanfic…(not that the fanfic takes place over four hundred years, I just needed to work out four hundred years of history.) Please read and review! See you guys around!


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